IMAGE  EVALUATION 
TEST  TARGET  (MT-S) 


/. 


,„„    /,     ^     ^.^ 


^ 


1.0 


I.I 


12  8 


■50 


|2.5 


*u  liii   112.2 


1.25  III  1.4 


12.0 


&% 


> 


p^ 


/. 


W/  /I 


HiotogTdphic 

Sciences 

Corporation 


23  WEST  MAIN  STREET 

WEBSTER,  N.Y.  14580 

(716)  872-4503 


'^;j^^<^ 


'V 


) 


\ 


k^ 


CIHM/ICMH 

Microfiche 

Series. 


CIHM/ICMH 
Collection  de 
microfiches. 


Canadian  Institute  for  Historical  Microreproductions  /  Institut  Canadian  de  microreproductions  historiques 


Technical  and  Bibliographic  Notes/Notes  techniques  et  bibliographiques 


The  Institute  has  attempted  to  obtain  the  best 
original  copy  available  for  filming.  Features  of  this 
copy  which  may  be  bibliographically  unique, 
which  may  alter  any  of  the  images  in  the 
reproduction,  or  which  may  significantly  change 
the  usual  method  of  filming,  are  checked  below. 


D 


D 


D 
D 


D 


n 


Coloured  covers/ 
Couverture  de  couleur 


I      I    Covers  damaged/ 


Couverture  endommag^e 

Covers  restored  and/or  laminated/ 
Couverture  restaurde  et/ou  pelliculde 


I      I    Cover  title  missing/ 


Le  titre  de  couverture  manque 


I      I    Coloured  maps/ 


Cartes  g^ographiques  en  couleur 


□    Coloured  ink  (i.e.  other  than  blue  or  black)/ 
Encre  de  couleur  (i.e.  autre  que  bleue  ou  noire) 

I      I    Coloured  plates  and/or  illustrations/ 


Planches  et/ou  illustrations  en  couleur 

Bound  with  other  material/ 
Reli4  avec  d'autres  documents 

Tight  binding  may  cause  shadows  or  distortion 
along  interior  margin/ 

La  re  liure  serrde  peut  causer  de  I'ombre  ou  de  la 
distortion  le  long  de  la  marge  int^rieure 

Blank  leaves  added  during  restoration  may 
appear  within  the  text.  Whenever  possible,  these 
have  been  omitted  from  filming/ 
II  se  peut  que  certaines  pages  blanches  ajoutiee 
lore  d'une  restauration  apparaissent  dans  le  texte, 
mais,  lorsque  cela  dtait  possible,  ces  pages  n'ont 
pas  it6  filmtes. 

Additional  comments:/ 
Commentaires  suppl^mentaires.- 


L'Institut  a  microfilm^  le  meilleur  exempiaire 
qu'il  lul  a  6t6  possible  de  se  procurer.  Les  details 
de  cet  exempiaire  qui  sont  peut-Atre  uniques  du 
point  de  vue  bibliographique,  qui  peuvent  modifier 
une  image  reproduite,  ou  qui  peuvent  exiger  une 
modification  dans  la  mAthode  normale  de  filmage 
sont  indiquAs  ci-dessous. 


I      I   Coloured  pages/ 


D 


This  item  is  filmed  at  the  reduction  ratio  checked  below/ 

Ce  document  est  filmA  au  taux  de  rMuction  indiquA  ci-dessous. 


Pages  de  couleur 

Pages  damaged/ 
Pages  endommag^es 

Pages  restored  and/oi 

Pages  restauries  et/ou  peliiculies 

Pages  discoloured,  stained  or  foxei 
Pages  d6color6es,  tachetdes  ou  piqudes 

Pages  detached/ 
Pages  d6tach6es 

Showthrough/ 
Transparence 

Quality  of  prir 

Qualit^  in^gaie  de  I'impression 

Includes  supplementary  materi{ 
Comprend  du  materiel  suppldmentaire 

Only  edition  available/ 
Seule  Edition  disponible 


I — I  Pages  damaged/ 

I — I  Pages  restored  and/or  laminated/ 

r~T|  Pages  discoloured,  stained  or  foxed/ 

I      I  Pages  detached/ 

r7|  Showthrough/ 

I      I  Quality  of  print  varies/ 

I      I  Includes  supplementary  material/ 

r~~|  Only  edition  available/ 


Thj 
to 


Th 
po 
of 
fill 


Or 
be 
th( 
sio 
oti 
fin 
sio 
or 


Pages  wholly  or  partially  obscured  by  errata 
slips,  tissues,  etc.,  have  been  refilmed  to 
ensure  the  best  possible  image/ 
Les  pages  totalement  ou  partiellement 
obscurcies  par  un  feuillet  d'errata,  une  pelure, 
etc.,  ont  4t6  film^es  d  nouveau  de  faqon  d 
obtenir  la  meilleure  image  possible. 


Th 
shi 

Tir 

wh 

Mc 
dif 
em 
be( 
rig 
rec; 
me 


10X 

14X 

18X 

22X 

26X 

30X 

y 

12X 

16X 

20X 

24X 

28X 

32X 

re 

idtails 
es  du 
modifier 
er  une 
Filmage 


The  copy  filmed  here  has  been  reproduced  thanlcs 
to  the  generosity  of: 

National  Library  of  Canada 


The  images  appearing  here  are  the  best  quality 
possible  considering  the  condition  and  legibility 
of  the  original  copy  and  in  keeping  with  the 
filming  contract  specifications. 


L'exemplaire  film6  fut  reproduit  grdce  d  la 
qitnirosM  de: 

Bibliothdque  nationale  du  Canada 


Les  images  suivantes  ont  6t6  reproduites  avec  le 
plus  grand  soin,  compte  tenu  de  la  condition  et 
de  la  nettetd  de  l'exemplaire  filmd,  et  en 
conformity  avec  les  conditions  du  contrat  de 
filmage. 


Original  copies  in  printed  paper  covers  are  filmed 
beginning  with  the  front  cover  and  ending  on 
the  last  page  with  ~  printed  or  illustrated  impres- 
sion, or  the  back  ccver  when  appropriate.  All 
other  original  copies  are  filmed  beginning  on  the 
first  page  with  a  printed  or  illustrated  impres- 
sion, and  ending  on  the  last  page  with  a  printed 
or  illustrated  impression. 


les 


Les  exemplaires  onginaux  dont  la  couverture  en 
papier  est  imprimde  sont  fiim^s  en  commengant 
par  le  premier  plat  et  en  terminant  soit  par  la 
dernidre  page  qui  comporte  une  empreinte 
d'impression  ou  d'illustration.  soit  par  le  second 
plat,  selon  le  cas.  Tous  les  autres  exemplaires 
originaux  sont  fiimds  en  commengant  par  la 
premidre  page  qui  comporte  une  empreinte 
d'impression  ou  d'illustration  et  en  terminant  par 
la  dernidre  page  qui  comporte  une  telle 
empreinte. 


The  last  recorded  frame  on  each  microfiche 
shall  contain  the  symbol  -^(meaning  "CON- 
TINUED "),  or  the  symbol  V  (meaning  "END"), 
whichever  applies. 


Un  des  symboles  suivants  apparaitra  sur  la 
dernidre  image  de  cheque  microfiche,  selon  le 
cas:  le  symbole  — ^  signifie  "A  SUIVRE  ",  le 
symbole  V  signifie  "FIN". 


Maps,  plates,  charts,  etc.,  may  be  filmed  at 
different  reduction  ratios.  Those  too  large  to  be 
entirely  included  in  one  exposure  are  filmed 
beginning  in  the  upper  left  hand  corner,  left  to 
right  and  top  to  bottom,  as  many  frames  as 
required.  The  following  diagrams  illustrate  the 
method: 


Les  cartes,  planches,  tableaux,  etc.,  peuvent  dtre 
filmds  d  des  taux  de  reduction  diff^rents. 
Lorsque  le  document  est  trop  grand  pour  dtre 
reproduit  en  un  seul  ciichd,  il  est  filmd  d  partir 
de  Tangle  supdrieur  gauche,  de  gauche  d  droite, 
et  de  haut  en  bas,  en  prenant  le  nombre 
d'images  ndcessaire.  Les  diagrammes  suivants 
illustrent  la  mdthode. 


errata 
ito 

t 

»  pelure, 

on  d 


n 

32X 


1  2  3 


1 

2 

3 

4 

5 

6 

TwSfc'rffV'' "'■'"  "^  ' "  ""■   ■'■"■ 


**•  -V, 


' '  1 

n 

'  ^^ 

i 

--*=rV 

1 

■  ( 

♦i 

■  I 

,/ 

.  -^ 

*••,"• 


J.  ' 


*:< 


'<■  M 


...  .-?4;;v 


■1/  „ 


^4 


V") 


\\ 


w 


■ 


■A 


PUEACilEl) 

AT  UOSTON,  NOVEMBKR  3,  1314, 

SOCIETY  FOR  PROPAGATING  THE  GOSP£l. 

VMOXG  THE  INDIANS   AND   OTHERS   IN    NORi  il-AMElUCA 

BY  ELIJAH  PARISH,  D.D.  S.  A.S. 


"  Chwvt  me,  ye  tacred  leaves,  with  loftier  themr:», 
*'  With  opening  heavens,  tinJ  aiigcU  rob^d  in  Jhimes  i 
*•  Ye  restkse  pasiioiti,  tMle  J  read  be  atv'df 
"  JIuil  ye  mysterioius  oracles  of  God. 
"  Here  I  behold  how  infant  time  began, 
*'  Uitta  the  dust  mov'd,  and  qmtkeiCd  into  man  ,• 
"  Or  hear  the  voice  to  slunibering  prophets  givi'n  ,• 
"  Or  gaze  on  visions  from  </.?  thro}ie  of  /leiivcn." 


I 

•.t       )    t 


R09 TON : 

I'lUMED   nv    KATUANIKI.  W'lLXIS,  76,  BTATt-BTHtVl 
full    S.    T.    AHilSTIIUSia,    50,   CUBXUIU.. 


AT  a  semi-annual  meetini;  of  the  Society  for  Fropagat^ 
itig  the  Gospel  among  the  Indians  and  others  in^orth-Amt- 
ricay  at  tbc  Hall  of  the  Union  Bank,  in  Boston,  >ioveiubcr 

Voted,  That  the  Secretary,  Rev.  Dr.  Morse,  and  Rev. 
Mr.  PtEHCE,  be  a  Committee  to  present  the  thanks  of  th<i 
Society  to  Rev.  Dr.  Parish  for  his  Sermon,  delivered  before 
them  this  day,  and  to  request  of  liim  a  sopy  for  tlie  press ; 
and  that  the  Committee  above  named  be  requested  to  pre- 
pare the  usual  Appendix  to  this  Anniversary-Sermon. 

Attest,  A.  HOLMES,  Secretary. 


SERMON. 


[^ 

le- 
nt 

»ro 

,s; 
ro- 


ll. CORINTHIANS  IV.  4. 
THE  GLORIOUS  GOSPEL  OF  CHRIST. 

The  gospel  is  that  scheme  of  racrey  which  is 
i'evealed  in  the  word  of  God.  God  having  conde- 
scended to  become  an  Author,  we  discover  a  work 
like  himself,  sublime  and  glorious.  The  gospel  al- 
leviates the  heaviest  woes  of  man,  and  is  a  source 
of  consolation  in  his  most  deplorable  necessities. 
Though  the  heathen,  in  his  most  uncultured  state, 
perceives  himself  to  he  vastly  superior  to  the  other 
creatures  around  hira  ;  still  in  his  most  refined  eleva- 
tiou,  he  is  oppressed  with  weakness,  terrified  with 
dangers,  perplexed  with  doubts,  tormented  with  suf- 
ferings, fur  which  he  discovers  neither  cause  nor  re- 
medy. His  neighbors  die ;  his  parents  die ;  his 
cliihlren  die ;  he  is  dying  himself.  He  exclaims, 
"  Where  have  my  friends  gone?  What  is  their 
state?  Shall  we  ever  meet  again?  Why  all  this 
miserv  ?"  To  his  mind,  is  not  the  scene  a  chaos  of 
goodness  and  wrath  ?  He  refiects ;  he  argues  ;  he 
is  confounded  ;  he  despairs.  That  cheering  light, 
which  shall  partially  dispel  his  darkness,  is  like  the 


4 

opptilnp;  of  Ujc  prison  t,o  thorn  who  arn  bouml.  That. 
frieiuUy  voice  Avhifh  «*liaU  ansucr  some  of  his  anxi- 
ous enr|uii'ics,  is  ji^loiious  like  the  first  soiij;  of  heaven 
to  the  (leparteil  saint.  Such  a  ii;:::;ht  shines,  such  a 
voice  is  lieard  from  the  pa;j;es  of  tlie  j^ospel. 

To  mention  a  few  instances  in  ivhich  the  gas- 
•pel  is  gloriovSy  is  the  present  design. 

1.  The  gospel  is  glorious  in  revealinf;  truths, 
most  important,  M'hich  had  been  unknown,  or  not 
clearly  discovered,  by  the  heathen  uorld. 

This  fact  proves  the  necessity  of  revelation  ;  aiul 
from  this,  we  may  infer,  that  God  would  a;ive  a  reve- 
lation. AVhilo  destitute  of  this  divine  instruction, 
have  mankind  ever  conceived  just  ideas  of  the  Dicivc- 
Being  ?  Which  is  the  nation,  learned  or  unlearned  ; 
who  is  the  profound  sa^c,  w  hat  is  his  name,  Avho  has 
entertained  consistent  ideas  of  the  holiness,  the  jus- 
tice, or  the  providence  of  ftod  ?  Tlieir  gods  have 
been  gods  of  the  hills  and  of  the  vallics,  gods  of  the 
sea  and  of  the  dry  land.  Their  gods  were  unrighte- 
ous ;  they  were  the  dupes  of  intrigue  ;  they  were  pol- 
luted witli  crimes.  1  do  not,  however,  say,  that  no 
pagans  have  ever  had  any  just  or  sublime  conception* 
of  the  Deity.  By  the  force  of  genius,  or  tlie  borrowed 
rays  of  distant  revelation,  most  sublime  thoughts  have 
been  elicited  ;  but  these  are  as  rare  and  as  useless, 
compared  with  the  permanent  light  of  the  Christiau 
■world,  as  the  luci<l  flashes  of  the  electric  cloud,  com- 
pared with  the  splendors  of  the  siiining  sun. 

No  pagan  nation  has  adopted  rational  views  of 
immortality.  Though  they  have  generally  yielded 
a  vague  credence  to  the  doctrine,  their  proofs  have 
been  inconclusive  and  without  authority,  producing 


1 


•ing 


lUtlo,  interest  ^itli  the  mass  of  (he  people,  and  alTord-. 
inu;  the  learned  rather  a  theme  of  amusins;  specula- 
tion, than  a  renson  for  serious  practice.     Ves  :  con- 
cerning; this  moKt  sublime  doctrine,  >vhich  is  essential 
to  comfort,  to  ho])e,  to  morality,  even  the  luminaries 
of  the  pagan  >vorhl,  their  Tully,  their  Socrates,  anil 
their  Pluto,  art^ued  in  a  most  unsatisfactory  manner. 
He  that  is  least  in  the  kins^doui  of  Christ  is  {greater 
than  they  were.     Speaking  in  the  name  of  Socrates, 
Plato  asserts  the  immortality  of  the  soul ;    hut  his 
proof  may  he  thought  puerile.     <^  That  which  is  al- 
ways in  motion,'^  saith  he,  "  is  immortal."     This  ho 
applies  to  the    soul.     TuUy  reasons    in   the   same, 
manner.     "  That  which  is  always  moved   is   f  frr- 
«a/.''     Plato  helieved,  that  human  souls  were  ema- 
nations from  the   Deity,    or   Soul  of  the  universe, 
at  death  restored  to  the  fountain  whence  they  came, 
and  therefore  immortal ;  hut  this  would  certainly  ilea- 
troy  their  immortality.     A  short  time  hcfore  his  death. 
Socrates  reasoned  thus  with  his  friends,  *'  It  is  an 
ancient  tradition,  that  our  souls  go  hence  to  another 
world,  whence  they  return  to  this ;    therefore,  they 
are  immortal."     Another  argument  of  his  was;  "  All 
things  take  their  rise  from  contraries ;  watcliinjj  pro- 
duces sleep,  and  sleep  Matching  ;  death  aris  '-  from 
life,  so  must  life  from  death.     If  living  things  <!;;'  not 
rise  from  the  dead,  all  things  would  finally  he  swal- 
lowed up  in  death  ;  tlierefore,  the  immortality  of  the 
soul  mu«t  he  granted."     Could  such  reasoning  satis- 
fy any  mind  ?     Is  it  strange  then  that  Ti;lly,  while 
he  often  argues  in  favour  of  the  doctrine,   serious- 
ly doubted   of  the   soul's  immortality?      lie  says, 
"While  I   am  reading.  1  assent;    hut  when  I  lav 


1 


ftside  niv  ImmIs,  ami  bcijiii  In  mi  dliatc  hy  m^  self,  coii- 
iMMiiiiii;  the  iniinoittility  of  souls,  all  my  convirtioit 
MJidi's  awav/'  Fnun  IMiitairh  >\c  learn,  that  the. 
oiiiiiion,  just  asciiiicil  to  I'lato,  was  common  amoni; 
ilu'  Stoic ks.  and  olliec  sects  of  ancient  pliilosopliy, 
llial  human  souls  arc  portions  of  the  Deity.  A  doctrine 
similar  to  this  has  hecn  holdcn  fnnn  time  immemorial 
hy  the  Hramins  of  Indi;),  whose  sacred  hooks  teach, 
that  intellect  is  a  portion  of  the  i^reat  soul  of  the  uni- 
verse, hrcatlied  into  all  creatures,  to  animate  them  for 
a  certain  lime  ;  that  after  death  it  animates  other  ho. 
dies,  or  returns  like  a  drop  into  that  unhounded  ocea!» 
from  which  it  first  arose.  A  soher  fact  it  is,  at  the 
present  mcmicnt,  that  llic  c;rcater  part  of  the  human 
race  helieve  in  the  doctrine  of  transmi2:;raiion^  or  the 
transilion  of  souls  from  one  hody  to  anotlror.  While. 
Mc  j::rant  that  the  heathen  have  had  some  va2:ue  iio- 
tions  of  immortality,  still  was  there  not  a  vecrsttitij  of 
u  reveiatijn  to  rectify  their  errors  on  this  j)oiut,  that, 
the  doctrine  mij^ht  liecome  a  powerful  ari|;ument  for 
j)ie(y  and  morality,  a  source  of  suhlime  hope  and  con- 
solation ?  It  may,  however,  be  rememhercd,  that. 
Tully  relates^  that  the  preceptor  of  Fythaj^oras  was 
the  lirst  man,  known  to  the  learned  world,  who  taught 
the  doctrine  of  innnortality.  Socrates  says,  that  most 
men  believed  that  the  soul  was  at  death  reduced  to 
iiuthins:. 

The  view  s  of  the  heathen  concernin2;  tlieir  own 
moral  cliaracters  were  equally  confused  and  wrong. 
Not  bavins;  just  ideas  of  the  divine  holiness,  it  was 
not  possible,  they  should  have  adequate  concep- 
tiims  of  human  depravity.  The  malignity  of  wicked- 
ness results  from  lis  opposition  to  iullnite  goodness^ 


1 


ri'l 


l>  •*  • 


^ 


vas 


iSS^ 


The  hoaUion  are  xiipcrshrul  in  iLc  rl.a^o,  >ir(oiiou<i  iii 
>v.'ii',  or  liii|)|),v  ill  llioir  doinivolu'  liirlc.  'i'licv  liiuk 
uhroiid  ;  the  lilossoins  of  sprini;,  tliu  iViiils  oi'  ;iiitiiinii. 
the  ,::;eninl  muii^  llu>  spitrkliii':;  slais,  |>i'orlaltii  tin*  ;;uikI 
iicrts  of  tin'  ji^iTJit  Spirit,  licinoise  and  sell' re j) roar li 
stitii;  tiic  conseieiK't;  lor  tlti'ir  iiij;ra(iliidi;  and  nial('\o- 
It'iu'e.  But  tin*,  hcinc  clian.m's  ;  Ihcy  aie  i'on(|ucird  ; 
or  i'aininc  and  pchtilcncc  Isjy  waste  their  villa;;es  ;  or 
the  an<;ry  storm,  the  furioii!)  tornado,  iis  peaU  of  thun- 
der and  fatal  li^htnini;  ama/e  and  di^^lraet  their  souls. 
AVIicrc  is  now  the  j;oodness  of  the  i^reat  Spirit  ?  Will 
they  not  justify  their  e\il  deeds?  How  i^reat  wcmld 
be  the  chan,:;e  in  their  views,  slnntld  they  hear  that 
their  first  father  revidted  fnnn  (iod,  that  his  children 
are  born  iu  his  likeness^  and  are  in  ablate  of  eondeiu- 
ualion  ! 

Of  a  Redeemer,  in  w  hum  all  the  families  of  the 
earth  shall  be  iinally  blessed,  the  heathen  have  never 
made  any  discovery.  The  w  ord  of  God  contains  all 
our  liiijht  and  know  led,:;e  respectini;  a  Mediator  be- 
tween God  and  man.  This  i:;lory  of  the  i^ospel,  this 
last  hope  of  man,  Ik  entirely  unknown  to  all  the  tribes 
of  the  world,  who  have  not  read  the  word  oi'  tiod. 
Vet,  as  if  pressed  by  the  necesnity  of  such  a  doctrine  ; 
as  if  imjJelled  by  an  overwbelmiug  sense  of  their  im- 
becility, or  directed  by  some  perverted  tradition  of  a 
Mediator,  most  pau;an  nations  have  substituted  medi- 
ators between  them  and  the  eternal  Cjiod.  Heroes, 
and  sages,  and  ancestors,  are  addressed  in  their  ne- 
cessities, as  mediators. 

The  doctrine  of  an  ade(juate  atonement  for  sin. 
is  discovered  no  where  but  in  the  pages  of  revelation. 
There  alone  we  learn,  that  '*  the  seed  of  the  woman 


•lioiild  Itriii^t^  the  s(>rp(Mil*H  lini(V ;  tlioro  uIoik;  mu 
Ic'nni,  that  lor  tlio«ie  y,\nt  liuve  not  Uoiio.  "well"  <»a 
nil)  olVoriii};  licth  iit  the  ihior.''  In  tlie  fiilnoss  or  lime, 
th'iN  Niu'i'ilU'e  was  ninnilV.<ite<l  to  the  worhl ;  berun.s« 
without  the  Nlie«hlin^  of  hlood  there  is  nu  leniissiuii 
oFsin.  Tliis  \\i\h  the  lan:;»iau;e  ol' every  victim  from 
the  liimh  of  Ahil,  to  (lie  Lunih  of  (lod  on  Mount  Ca). 
vnry.  .lehus  (Mirist  whs  *•  nuule  to  be  sin,"  i.e.  u 
iiH-offerirt!^  for  hi^  peoph*.  "  lie  {;avc  himself  for 
us,  an  od'crliiu;  and  a  sairilicc  to  (»o«l.''  "  He  made 
pr<»|iitiali(>n  for  the  sins  of  the  world."  So  congenial 
is  this  with  the  convictions  of  mankind,  or  so  splendhi 
Avas  its  llrst  revelation,  that  in  all  nations,  even  whcra 
the  orip;inal  tradition  had  hcen  lost,  or  perhaps  had  ne. 
ver  heen  heard,  sacrillces  have  always  been  oiTercd. 
The  most  ancient  nations  in  every  quarter  of  the 
world  offered  vicarious  saerillces.  The  E|;yptians, 
having  cut  off  the  head  of  their  victim,  and  loaded  it 
with  execrations,  jirayed,  that  if  any  evil  were  hang- 
ing over  the  land,  it  might  fall  on  that  head.  They 
then  sold  it  to  the  Greeks,  m-  threw  it  into  the  Nile. 
Among  the  Hindoos  also  they  offer  a  sacrifice,  resem- 
bling that  of  the  scape-goat  of  the  Jews.  The  blood 
of  sacrifices  has  been  sprinkled  from  Canaan  to  Mexi- 
co, from  China  to  Europe.  They  believed  that  the 
more  precious  was  the  offering,  the  more  acceptable 
it  was  to  the  gods.  Hence  the  universality  of  human 
(sacrifices  ;  hence  the  altars  of  Moloch  have  been  red 
with  the  blood  of  innocence  in  every  quarter  of  the 
earth.  That «/MceWf// will  meet  the  same  reward  as 
actual  services,  where  the  power  is  w  anting ;  that  the 
mite  of  the  widow  is  as  acceptable  as  the  sacrifices  of 
opulcncC;  saith  M.  Neckai*;  is  au  idea  in  the  gospel 


i>>- 


9 

Jil»soluti»lv  now.  In  no  system  ofpn^anism  lin«  pnri. 
t,y  ofniunils  oonstitiitiMl  jin;^  piirt  of  iUv.  (I('si;;n.  'riic 
kcallicn  reli;;ions  liiiv*'  hi'LMi,  njori'ly,  an  oxiiiliilion  of 
litcs  and  eciTuuHiicH.*  The  crlchiaJ'um  ol'tlH'so  was 
the  wliolo  buHiiiesH  of  their  pricf^is  ;  on  these,  eelehra- 
tions  were  snpposrii  to  rest  the  £;h)ry  of  the  nation. 
A  perfect  rnh;  of  life  has  never  heen  (liseovcred,  Imt 
in  the  word  of  (jlod.  Here  ah)ne  arc  wc  tan;;ht,  that 
love  to  (iU»l  and  hencvjdenee  to  man  comprises  tmr 
whole  dnty.  Of  course  the  heathen  have  been  igno- 
rant of  several  imjiorlant  duties.  A  reasonftl»le  mode 
vtii  ivorship  they  have  never  discovered.  This  most 
pure,  most  elevated  service,  v.  hich  hrinj;s  the  heart 
into  nearest  communion  with  iU  god,  is  often  with 
them  a  scene  of  profligacy  and  crimes.  From  no 
part  of  the  world  coidd  the  first  writers  of  revelation 
borrow  any  examples  or  instructions  to  establish  a 
rational  or  dec(»rous  mode  of  worship.  In  no  other 
ccnintry  was  one  God  alone  the  object  of  worship  ;  in 
no  other  country  was  one  national  altar  erccte<l ;  in 
no  other  country  was  one  precise  ritual  established 
for  the  whole  nation. 

Whether  prayer  be  a  dutyf  wlietlicr  it  produce 
any  mltuntage^  ^vhether  it  be.  not  an  inlrus'inn  on 
rights  divine,  has  never  been  ascertained  by  the  wis- 
dom of  the  wtu'ld.f  What  relief  then  is  it  to  the  man 
of  sorrows,  whose  licart  is  torn  by  disappointment, 
crushed  by  adversity,  or  overwhelmed  with  guilt,  to 
bear  a  voice  from  heaven,  *•  Is  any  afflicted,  let  him 
\)ray"  ;  **  Ask,  and  ye  shall  receive.*' 


*  Dr.  Clark, 


t  Dr.  Pricstlcr. 


2 


40 


..   I 


I 


'WlnilhcY  repentance  is  a  duly,  which  will  «ip- 
])r.ise  ail  oflbmlcd  God,  can  he  loanied  only  from  his 
lioiy  wonl.  A  oonfiiscd  hope  of  liiis  has  produced 
those  acts  of  pcuiiancc,  those  tortures  aud  self-immo- 
lations, so  common  anion,:;  heathen.  13ut  repentance 
makes  no  atonement ;  it  redeems  no  claim,  which  had 
hcen  lost;  and  it  is  only  f«)r  the  sake  of  .lesus  Christ, 
that  the  penitent  is  pardoned.  The  pa^an  mourns  ; 
lie  weeps  :  his  wound  is  incurahle,  except  liy  '^  the 
halm  of  Gilead,  and  the  Physician  there." 

The  enlightened  Romans  had  no  word  in  their 
lani;uagc  to  express  humilHi}.^  This  proves  they 
did  not  consider  it  a  moral  virtue.  She  was  a  stran- 
ger, her  name  unknown.  The  word  in  that  language 
from  which  we  derive  humility,  signifies  lowness, 
poorness,  meanness,  baseness,  inability,  Avant  of  pow- 
er, &c.  The  preciaion  with  which  moral  ideas  arc 
expressed  among  Christians,  is  a  permanent  monu- 
ment of  their  relined  and  elevated  morality.  Of  this 
the  English  word  murder  is  a  notable  instance  ;  such 
a  word,  expressing  the  killing  of  a  man  with  malice, 
is  not  found  in  the  language  of  the  polished  Romans. 

The  means  of  obtaining  strength  to  perform  these 
duties,  are  discovered  only  in  the  book  of  God. 
Though  a  Roman  moralist  once  said,  "  No  one  was 
ever  a  great  man  v,  ithout  a  divine  inspiration  ;"t  yet 
no  consistent  ideas  of  divine  influences,  or  of  the 
means  of  obtaining  them,  Mere  ever  conceived  by  the 
pagan  world.  They  have  never  known,  that  every 
good  emotion  of  the  heart  is  from  the  Spirit  of  God  ; 
they  have  never  known  that  our  heavenly  Father  is 


I 


*  Buck. 


t  Cicero. 


^*^^ 


> 


lU  ap- 
oin  his 
Diluccil 
-imrao- 
antancc 

ich  hail 
Christ, 
loiu'Us ; 
y  "the 

ill  their 
,69  they 
a  straii- 
auguage 
low'iiesH, 
tof  pow- 
ideas  am 
nt  nionii- 
I   Of  this 
icc ;  such 
I  malice. 
Loniaiis. 
Dim  these 
of  God. 
one  wa* 
af\  yet 
)!•  of  the 
ed  by  the 
lat  every 
of  God  ; 
athcr  is 


I 


11 

more  ready  to  give  the  Holy  Spirit  to  those  who  ask 
liim,  than  earthly  parents  are  to  give  good  things  to 
their  cliildren. 

Of  future  rewards  and  punishments,  tlic  notions 
of  the  heathen  have  oeen  too  chimerical  and  childish 
to  be  mentioned  in  a  Chrislian  assembly.  In  the 
systems  of  pagan  wisdom,  the  doctrine  of  the  resur- 
rectlon  is  no  where  found.  For  them  the  grave  is 
shrouded  in  perpetual  night.  Ily  the  light  of  the 
gospel  alone,  we  see  the  tomb  open  and  the  prisoner 
come  forth.  So  absolutely  unknown  and  unheard  of 
was  the  doctrine,  that  the  word  was  unintelligible, 
even  to  the  learned  Atlianhnfs.  When  Paul  preach- 
ed to  them  Jesus  and  the  resurrfcHoVf  they  thought 
that  resurrection  was  the  name  of  a  new  god  ;  but 
the  Author  of  the  gospel  gave  proof  of  the  doctrine  in 
his  own  person.  Robed  in  light,  angels  descend  : 
they  roll  the  stone  from  the  door  of  his  tomb;  he  rises : 
he  goes  to  Galilee,  and  for  forty  days  converses  witii 
his  friends.  From  mount  Olivet  he  ascends,  a  cloud 
receives  him  ;  in  triumph  he  enters  the  New  Jerusa- 
lem, a  sure  pledge  that  all  his  discijdes  shall  rise. 

It  may  be  said,  the  preacher  is  lost  in  the  dark 
ness  of  antiquity  ;  that  men  now  are  not  so  ignorant. 
But  was  revelation  necessary  for  ihe  ancients?  AVherc 
is  the  evidence,  that  the  moderns  are  more  sagacious  ? 
The  moderns,  who  are  destitute  of  revelation,  are 
just  as  stupid  as  the  ancients.  For  the  proof  of  this,  I 
appe.al  to  the  present  state  of  the  p;tgan  world.  The 
aboriginals  of  this  country,  it  is  well  known,  entertain 
the  most  fanciful  ideas  of  a  future  state.  Their  bows* 
and  arrows,  their  ornaments,  are  buried  with  them  for 
tiielr  use  in  the  land  of  spirits.     The  Tartars  burv 


Mi. 


IS. 

their  richest  tlrcss  and  furniture  with  their  dcaif- 
Customs  like  these  are  common  in  every  quarter  of 
the  glohe.  Our  savai|;es  fly  from  the  spirits,  which 
reside  in  their  solitary  islands,  or  on  the  tops  of  their 
mountains.  They  tremble  at  the  god,  who  thunders 
in  the  cloud,  roars  in  the  volcano,  or  shrieks  in  the 
howlings  of  the  storm.  If  you  will  pass  to  the  islands 
of  the  Pacific,  you  will  find  their  sacred  places  groan- 
ing with  bones  of  their  human  sacrifices  ;  you  will 
see  tliem  barter  away  their  gods,  or  banish  them,  or 
chastise  them,  when  they  do  not  seem  to  regard  their 
wishes.  In  Africa,  you  will  find  idolatry  more  pue- 
rile, more  dismal. 

Is  it  said  these  are  savages  ?  Then  I  appeal  to 
nations  more  enlightened,  where  the  arts,  which  hu- 
manize, where  the  sciences,  which  elevate  the  mind^ 
liave  long  prevailed.  In  China  the  people  are  cover- 
ed with  gross  Uarl'ness,  concerning  the  unity  of  God, 
and  other  essential  truths.  As  arduous  is  the  task 
to  Christianize  them,  as  the  savages  of  the  desert. 
Their  libraries  are  numerous ;  their  colleges  are  rich- 
ly endowed;  their  learned  men  are  greatly  respected; 
but  by  all  their  wisdom,  they  do  not  know  God.  In 
no  part  of  the  world,  do  the  Missionaries  find  delu- 
sions more  absurd,  prejudices  more  obstinate,  or  their 
work  more  hopeless.  The  most  reputable  religion  of 
China  has  no  name  for  God  ;  while  that  of  the  vulgar 
is  burdened  with  festivals,  ceremonies  and  idols. 

In  Japan  idolatry  has  prevailed  from  time  imme- 
morial ;  nor  will  they  now  protect  a  stranger,  unless 
he  will  trample  on  the  Cross  of  Jesus,  to  prove  hi« 
iletestatiuu  of  Cluistiuuity. 


I 
t 


r  dca<I- 
laitcr  of 
5,  \vliicl» 
;  of  tlicu- 
thundera 
ks  in  the 
e  islands 
;s  gi'oan- 
ycu  will 
them,  01" 
aid  theii- 
aore  pue- 

appeal  to 
which  hu- 
the  mind, 
are  cover- 
ty  of  God, 
i  the  task 
he  desert. 
s  are  rich- 
respected; 
God.    In 
find  dela- 
te, or  their 
religion  of 
the  vulgar 
idols, 
imc  immc- 
ger,  unless 
prove  hii* 


13 

If  you  sail  to  India,  you  may  see  sixty  millions 
of  people  bowing  to  tliirty  millions  of  gods.  You  may 
see  a  system  of  morals  which  strike  the  mind  with 
horror ;  you  may  see  infants  murdered  by  their  pa- 
rents :  you  may  see  their  sick  friends  deserted  to  die 
alone ;  you  may  see  the  widows  burning  in  the  same 
iires  with  their  husbands. 

In  Thibet,  a  man  is  worshipped  as  the  eternal  God... 
Their  sovereign  Lama,  the  higli  priest  of  their  reli- 
gion, is  believed  to  be  immaculate,  immortal,  omni- 
present, and  omnipotent.  Their  temples  are  throng- 
ed with  gods,  and  the  waters  of  the  Ganges  are  carri- 
ed over  their  mountains,  to  wash  away  their  sins. 

At  the  present  moment,  such  is  the  religious  state 
of  the  w  orld,  where  the  word  of  God  is  not  read  : 
where  the  glorious  gospel  is  not  preached.  ^Vill  the 
advocates  for  natural  religion  plead  that  this  is  a  de- 
generate age,  and  appeal  to  antiquity  ?  We  have 
just  seen  that  all  antiquity  is  against  them.  What 
was  the  religion  of  the  Romans  ?  what  w  as  their 
worship  ?  who  were  their  gods  ?  Their  religion 
countenanced  pride  and  revenge  ;  their  worship  often 
consisted  in  scenes  of  intemperance,  lasciviousness, 
and  human  sacrifices. 

What  was  the  boasted  wisdom  of  the  Greeks  ? 
Thales,  one  of  the  seven  wise  men  of  Greece,  says, 
that  the  sun,  and  moon,  and  stars,  are  animated  and 
divine.  Pythagoras  calls  these  luminaries  immortal 
i^ods.  AVitli  them  the  Roman  orator  agrees,  and 
calls  the  sun  the  swpveme  god. 

What  was  the  learned  religion  of  Egypt  ?  At 
one  time  thetj  considered  the  heavenly  luminaries,  as 
the  o)ihj  gods,  the  creators  of  all  things  5   they  ac 


14) 

knowlcilgcJ  eight  juiuiary  gods;*  1ml  aficnv aidsi, 
)>rutes,  reptiles  and  vegetables  were  deified.  The 
poisonous  serpent,  the  deadly  asp,  the  stupid  ox, 
lishes  autl  birds,  were  gods  of  Egypt  !  Lord,  what 
is  man,  while  destitute  of  the  gospel !  Neither  civili- 
zation, nor  the  arts,  improve  his  religious  knowledge. 

II.  The  gospel  is  glorious  because  of  its  power- 
ful tendency  to  comfort,  to  sanctify,  and  to  save  the 
souls  of  men. 

The  gospel  is  addressed  to  the  spiritual  necessi- 
ties of  all  classes  of  men.  Were  the  gospel  addressed 
only  to  the  wants  of  the  poor  and  afflicted,  it  would 
unavoidably  provoke  the  contempt  of  the  rich  and 
happy.  Were  the  gospel  accommodated  only  to  the 
rich  and  great,  it  would  irrcsistably  kindle  the  fires 
of  envy  and  hatred.  Happily  the  word  of  life  is  glad 
tidings  of  great  joy  to  all  people.  No  situation  is  so 
low,  no  circumstances  arc  so  terrible,  as  not  to  bor- 
row sonic  comfort  from  the  gospel  of  Jesus.  No 
man  is  so  elevated,  so  blest  and  happy,  as  not  to  bo 
jnore  blest  and  happy  by  the  gospel. 

The  man  of  business,  wearied  with  his  labors, 
disappointed  in  his  plans,  sick  of  his  pursuits,  turns 
to  the  gospel,  and  finds  rest  to  his  spirit.  The  youth 
finds  his  desires  moderated,  the  impetuosity  of  his 
passions  restrained,  his  pursuits  directed  to  noble  oIj- 
jests,  worthy  his  immortal  destination.  The  aged, 
seeing  his  last  sand  falling,  and  hearing  the  chariot- 
wheels  of  his  Redeemer  coming,  exults  in  the  conso- 
lations of  the  gospel.  See  the  devout  astronomer; 
he  directs  his  glass  to  the  starry  sky ;  he  discovers 


1 


ft 


i 

V. 


.1 


I 


*  Faber  on  tlie  Cabiri,  Br,vant,  &c. 


19 


is  glail 


abors, 
turns 
youth 
of  his 
jle  o1)- 


iiow  planut!:;  and  measures  theii  distance ;  but  soon 
his  hand  trembles ;  his  instruments  drop ;  the  gran- 
deur and  sublimity  of  the  prospect  vanish ;  he  leaves 
his  unfinished  calculations*  Think  him  not  wretch- 
ed ;  though  his  science  forsake  him,  he  looivs  to  the 
cross  and  tlie  tomb  of  his  Saviour  ;  he  sees  lum  arise, 
"  Then,"  saith  he,  **  I  rose ;  then  glory  and  immor- 
tality were  secured  to  me." 

In  sanctifying  the  heart,  the  gospel  sliines,  Mith 
unrivalled  lustre,  over  all  the  systems  of  men.  These 
propose  only  to  direct  the  sacred  rites,  or  at  most  the 
opinions  of  their  disciples  ;  but  the  word  of  C«od 
changes  the  mo)al  cliaractcr  of  the  heart,  and  reforms 
the  actions  of  the  life.  The  ''  truth'^  of  the  word 
*•'  sanctifies*'  the  devout  reader.  Devotedness  to  the 
different  gods  of  heathenism,  only  leads  the  devotees 
to  different  altars,  to  different  sacrifices,  to  different 
rites,  and  forms,  and  ceremonies.  Tiie  man  remains 
the  same,  the  same  child  of  nature,  the  same  son  of 
violence,  his  passions  ungoverned,  his  conduct  un- 
restrained.  Jiut  the  word  of  God  inspires  tiic  heart 
with  universal  benevolence;  its  efficacy  is  wonderful  j 
it  wounds  and  it  Iieals  ;  it  kills  and  it  makes  alive^ 

■  If  the  word  of  God  be  received  in  any  country, 
the  happy  effecls  are  wonderful.  Idol  temples  are 
gradually  deserted  ;  gross  vices  become  less  common ; 
wars  are  conducted  with  more  humanity.  In  those 
countries  where  prisoners  had  been  offered  in  sacri- 
fice to  tiicir  I)loody  gnds,  or  eaten  as  a  banquet  of  vie 
lory,  or  tortured  and  murdered  from  mere  revenge, 
if  the  word  of  God  be  received  among  them,  the  fero- 
city of  their  passions  is  softened  and  suppressed,  cap- 
Hvity  becomes  a  less  bitter  cup ;   prisoners  are  only 


1 


16 

sold,  or  made  slavess,  or  they  are  exchanged.  In  a 
country  where  the  word  of  God  is  generally  respect- 
ed, prisoners  of  war  are  often  released  without  a  ran- 
som, as  our  own  miserable  soldiers  learn  by  daily  ex- 
perience. Without  making  tiic  request,  they  are  sent 
liome  to  their  country  and  friends.  Acts  of  retalia- 
tion against  the  barbarism  of  infidel  armies,  seldom 
proceed  further  than  the  destruction  of  ^public  pro- 
jierty. 

The  Goths,  who  formerly  can-icd  war  and  deso- 
lation over  Europe,  were  only  partially  acquainted 
with  the  word  of  God ;  yet  a  learned  writer  declares, 
that  they  exhibited  more  instances  of  genuine  mercy, 
continence,  and  generosity,  than  can  be  furnished  by 
the  whole  history  of  pagan  Rorae.*^ 

The  Romans,  instead  of  sending  their  prisoners 
home,  subjected  their  necks  to  be  trampled  on  by 
their  soldiers  ;  and  afterwards  sold  them  at  public 
•auction.  Frequently  they  burned  them  on  the  fune- 
ral piles  of  their  aged  warriors,  sacrifices  to  the  in- 
fernal  gods.  Well,  therefore,  might  a  late  celebrated 
Bishop  of  London t  say  of  Christianity,  "It  has  in- 
sensibly worked  itself  into  the  inmost  frame  and  con- 
stitution of  civil  stales.  It  lias  given  a  tinge  to  the 
complexion  of  their  governments,  to  the  temper  and 
administration  of  their  laws.  It  has  restrained  the 
spirit  of  the  prince,  and  the  madness  of  the  people. 
It  has  softened  the  rigor  of  despotism,  and  tamed  the 
insolence  of  conquest.  It  has,  in  some  degiee,  taken 
iiwuy  ihc  edge  of  the  su'ordf  and  thrown,  even  over 
ihe  horrors  of  war,  a  veil  of  mercy.     As  one  proof  of 


i 


*  Dr.  Irelanil. 


t  Dr.  Porleus, 


^4.*■    ;  ^ 


I 


tills,  among  many  others,  consider  only  the  shbeking 
carnage  made  in  the  human  species  by  the  exposure 
of  infants,  and  the  gladiatorial  shows,  which  some, 
times  cost  Europe  twenty  or  thirty  thousand  lives  in  a 
month.^'  "  Here,"  continues  the  same  author,  "  here 
the  hard  and  impenitent  heart  has  been  softened,  the 
impetuous  passions  restrained,  the  ferocious  temper 
subdued,  powerful  prejudices  conquered,  ignorance 
dispelled,  and  the  obstacles  to  real  happiness  remov- 
ed.  Here  the  Christian,  looking  round  on  the  glories 
and  blandishments  of  this  world,  has  been  enabled 
with  a  noble  contempt  to  despise  all.  Here  death  it- 
self, the  king  of  terrors,  has  lost  its  sting,  and  the 
soul,  with  a  holy  magnanimity,  has  borne  up  in  the 
agonies  of  a  dying  hour,  and  sweetly  sung  itself  away 
to  everlasting  bliss."  Another  learned  writer  says, 
*^  Kings  and  peasants,  conquerors  and  philosophers, 
the  wise  and  the  ignorant,  the  rich  and  the  poor,  have 
been  brought  to  the  foot  of  the  cross  ;  yea,  millions 
have  been  enlightened,  improved,  reformed,  and  made 
happy  by  its  influences." 

Thus,  my  hearers,  the  word  of  God,  when  it 
comes  with  power,  has  an  irresistable  energy.  It 
tears  up  the  roots  of  human  depravity  ;  it  breaks  up 
the  fallow  ground  of  the  heart,  and  produces  the 
flowers  and  fruits  of  paradise.  Old  things  have  pass- 
ed away,  and  all  things  have  become  new.  The 
man  is  no  longer  **  a  rebel,"  "  a  viper,"  "  a  serpent." 
He  is  an  heir  of  glory.  "  The  law  of  the  Lord  is 
pure,  converting  the  soul." 

Behold  Saul  of  Tarsus.  Like  a  tyger  of  the  fo- 
rest, he  breathes  slaughter  and  death.     He  has  pre. 

pared  the  prisons ;  the  chains  are  forged  ;   he  is  on 
3 


— *»<• 


I  \ 

i 

\  . 

If 
I? 


/y' 


f 

H 

i 

il 
I 


■J 
I 


is 

the  road  to  Damascus;  to  drag  mcn^  women  and  cliil" 
drcii  to  Jerusalem.  At  mid>day  a  light  blazes  around 
him  ;  he  falls  ;  be  hears  a  voice,  ^'  Saul,  Saul,  why 
persecutest  thou  me  P  What  injury  have  I  dono 
thee  ?"  "  Lord,  what  wilt  thou  have  me  to  do  .*"  he 
cries.  He  is  willing  to  do  any  thing,  to  be  scourged 
or  imprisoned,  or  to  go  about  doing  good,  visiting  the 
sick,  and  preaching  the  gospel  to  the  poor. 

Like  the  star,  which  directed  the  wise  men  to 
Bethlehem,  the  word  of  God  directs  men  to  heavenly 
glory.  It  is  "  the  power  of  God  and  the  wisdom  of 
God  to  the  salvation  of  those  who  believe.'^  It  is 
*^  a  savor  of  life  unto  life.*'  With  anguish  of  spirit^ 
the  soul  exclaims,  <•  What  shall  I  do  to  be  saved  ?" 
Like  the  wounded  hart,  with  the  spear  of  the  huntev 
in  its  side,  the  man  flics  to  every  means  of  hope.  Sink- 
ing into  despair,  he  hears  a  voice  from  the  word, 
*^  Come  unto  me."  "  Look  unto  me  and  be  ye  sauerf," 
"  Thou  shalt  be  with  me  in  paradise.''  He  knows 
that  his  Redeemer  lives.  He  shall  sit  down  with 
Abraham,  and  Isaac,  and  Jacob,^  in  the  kingdom  of 
heaven.  So  Abel,  and  Enoch,  aiul  a  great  multitud<> 
which  no  man  can  number,  have  been  saved  by  the 
w  ord  of  GKmI  ;  it  is  the  word  of  life,  eternal  life. 

III.  The  word  of  God  is  wonderful,  on  account  of 
the  complete  evidence  of  its  divine  authority.  What- 
ever may  be  the  excellencies  of  Mahometanism,  or  of 
Paganism,  and  if  we  believe  some  infldels,^  they  are 
great ;  still  they  are  essentially  wanting  in  efficacy, 
to  guide  or  comfort  their  votaries  ;  because  they  are 
not  supported  by  any  satisfactory  evidence  ;  they  are 
not  patronized  by  any  adequate  authority  ;  they  want 
the  sanction  oi  God.     Gud  is  not  pledged  to  fulfil 


1 


and  cliil' 
;es  around 
hul,  why 
e  I  doncv 
►  rfo»"  he 
5  scourged 
isiling  thu 

sc  men  to 
)  heavenly 
wisdom  of 
e."    It  is 
1  of  spirit, 
e  saved  ?" 
the  huntev 
)pe*  Sink- 
the  word, 
ye  savedP 
lie  knows 
tlown  with 
kingdom  of 
multitudcy 
:ed  by  the 
d  life, 
[account  of 
What- 
[lism,  or  of 
they  arft 
efficacy, 
they  are 
I;  they  are 
|they  want 
to  fulfil 


4t) 

their  promises,  to  execute  tlieir  threateiiings,  to  sup- 
port their  laws.  Though  in  many^  instances  ''they 
make  high  claims  to  inspiration ;  yet  before  the  eye 
of  investigation,  they  vanish  like  meteors  of  the  night. 
By  what  evidence,  except  his  brooding  melancholy, 
which  led  him  to  fly  to  the  desert  and  dwell  in  a  ca- 
vern, did  Numa  satisfy  the  Romans,  that  their  laws 
and  religion  were  revealed  to  him  by  the  goddess 
Egeria.  By  what  evidence  did  Capac  and  Ocollo 
convince  the  Peruvians,  that  they  were  the  children  of 
the  Sun,  descended  from  heaven,  to  be  their  teachers 
and  guardians?  By  what  evidence  did  Mahomet 
prove  his  converse  with  Gabriel,  his  ascent  to  heaven, 
and  his  numerous  pretended  revelations  ? 

Were  the  word  of  God  ever  so  pure  in  its  pre- 
cepts, ever  so  noble  in  its  promises,  ever  so  alluring 
in  its  virtues,  it  could  have  little  glory,  were  it  defici- 
ent in  evidence  of  its  divine  authority.  Its  transcen- 
dent doctrines,  its  celestial  prospects,  its  immortal  re- 
wards, might  only  tantalize  men  with  delusive  hopes. 
Here  it  may  be  proper  to  acknowledge,  that  some  of 
the  heathen  uttered  some  excellent  things,  excited 
some  consoling  hopes ;  but  they  spoke  without  autho- 
rity ;  they  could  not  ensure  the  hopes  which  they  ex- 
cited. Like  a  palace  of  ice  on  the  bank  of  the  Neva, 
which  at  a  distance  sparkles  like  a  hill  of  diamonds  ; 
but  within  is  a  cold  and  dismal  dwelling  ;  such  were 
the  splendid  theories  of  pagan  philosophy.  Such 
would  be  the  word  of  God  were  not  its  high  authority 
clear  and  certain. 

*  As  did  Zoroaster,  Pythagoras,  Solon,  Lycurgus,  Orpheus, 
Minos,  Wodon,  Foas,  &c. 


20 


34  ">. 


I 


But  here  I  must  stop.  An  entire  discourse  would 
not  be  sufficient  to  exhibit  the  evidence  in  sup^.-^rt  of 
divine  revelation.  Had  I  time^  I  might  illustrate  the 
harmony  of  the  various  parts,  written  in  different  ages 
and  countries,  by  persons  educated  in  different  habits 
and  opinions ;  and  subject  to  different  prejudices. 
Not  only  the  princes  and  nobles,  the  poets  and  the 
prophets  of  scripture ;  but  the  fishermen  and  herds- 
men, though  they  have  a  different  style  in  writing,  all 
give  the  same  just  and  sublime  views  of  God,  of  the 
soul,  and  the  eternal  world  ;  they  all  present  the  same 
views  of  fallen  man,  of  salvation  by  a  Redeemer,  and 
of  divine  providence.  A  living  coal  from  the  altar  of 
God  has  touched  all  their  lips,  and  they  all  speak  in 
the  same  strains  of  heavenly  love.  Who  taught  these 
obscure  sons  of  Abraham  to  wing  their  flight,  far  be- 
yond  the  confines  of  time  ?  Who  led  them  on,  through 
the  gate  of  heaven,  to  draw  the  curtain,  that  we  might 
see  the  throne  of  God,  and  hear  the  harps  of  angels? 
Was  this  the  fruit  of  their  superior  application  and 
genius  ?  TLlo  t\'ould  be  a  greater  miracle  than  any 
which  is  supposed.  Did  they  learn  these  sublime 
strains  in  the  celebrated  seminaries  of  Egypt,  of 
Greece,  or  Rome  ?  You  have  just  heard  the  babblings 
of  their  philosophers.  They  spake,  therefore,  as  they 
were  moved  by  the  Holy  Ghost.  I  might,  also,  show 
the  simplicity  and  majesty  of  their  style,  far  surpass- 
ing the  boldest  flights  of  Grecian  song,  or  Roman  elo- 
quence. I  might  summon  from  all  antiquity  a  host 
of  historians  to  confirm  many  facts  ef  the  sacred  vo- 
lume. 

Miracles  demonstrate  the  authority  of  revelation. 
If  God  arrest  the  luminaries  of  heaven,  or  raise  t!ie 


i 

:< 


CI 


P8C  would 
lup^.'^rt  of 
strate  the 
irent  ages 
ent  habits 
rejudices. 
s  and  the 
id  herds- 
ritiiig,  all 
[)d,  of  the 
I  the  same 
emer^  and 
lie  altar  of 
I  speak  in 
light  these 
ht,  far  be- 
a,  through 
we  might 
)f  angels? 
;ation  and 
i  than  any 
e  sublime 
Egypt,   of 
babblings 
re,  as  they 
Eilso,  show 
ir  surpass- 
Loman  elo- 
ity  a  host 
sacred  vo- 

revclation. 
raise  the 


dead,  to  confirm  any  trulh,  God  himsrlf  bccomoM 
pledged  to  support  that  truth.  No  bad  man  would 
be  the  author  of  such  a  holy  religion.  No  ^ood  man 
would  furgo  such  a  M'ork,  and  ascribe  it  to  God. 

Prophecy  carries  irresistable  evidence  to  every 
age  and  country,  who  hear  its  voice.     1  might  men- 
tion the  present  slate  of  Nineveh.     Zcphauiah  pru- 
phecied,  that  Nineveh  would  be  a  desolation,  dry  like 
a  wilderness.     Nineveh  is  a  desolation  ;    her  ruins 
are  ruined.     Of  Tyre  a  prophet  declared,  that  "  Her 
songs  should  cease,  that  she  should  be  a  place  to 
spread  nets  upon."     A  few  fishermen  are  now  her 
only  inhabitants.     I  might  mention  the  Jews,  as  so 
many  living  witnesses,  for  tlie  truth  of  prophecy.     It 
was  prophesied  that  they  should  be  scattered  over 
the  world ;   they  are  scattered  over  the  world.     It 
was  prophesied  that  they  should  be   a  bye-word ; 
they  are  a  bye-word.     I  might  mention  the  present 
state  of  Babylon  J  of  Jerusalem,  of  Palestine,  of  Noph, 
and  Egypt,    to  confirm  the   prophecies   respecting 
them.^    The  Arabians  are  a  standing  miracle^  a  na- 
tion of  witnesses  in  support  of  revelation.     It  was 
prophesied  of  their  ancestor,  that  in  his  posterity  his 
hand  should  be  against  every  man,  that  yet  he  should 
dwell  in  the  presence  of  his  brethren,  that  he  should 
be  a  wild  man.     This  perfectly  agrees  M-ith  the  his- 
tory of  the  Arabs  in  every  age.    No  man  can  devout- 
ly study  their  character  without  increasiug  his  faith 
and  religious  wonder.    Though  generally  hostile  to 
t*ie  human  race,  and  of  course  frequently  assailed  by 
the  most  formidable  powers  ;  yet  neither  the  Alexan 
ders,  nor  Cajsars,  nor  lionapartes,  those  thunder-bolts 

*  See  f  lipso  articles  in  the  Gazetteer  of  the  Bible. 


23 

of  wMf  have  been  ablo  t()  conquer  llie  Arabians. 
Even  when  separated  into  contemptible  clansi  of  rob- 
bers and  pirates,  they  remain  Invincible ;  they  brave 
the  most  powerful  fleets  and  armies  of  Europe  ;  their 
most  celebrated  commanders  retire  from  their  towns 
with  vexation  and  dismay.  Is  not  the  evidence  in 
favor  of  the  gonpel  clear  and  irresistable  ?  Is  not  the 
M'ord  of  God  wonderful  ? 

nEFLECTIONS. 

I.  How  cruel  and  barbarous  arc  those  infldels,  who 
labor  to  destroy  the  influence  of  divine  revelation. 
Home  men,  not  only  disbelieve  revelation  themselves, 
but  are  zealous  to  destroy  the  faith  of  others.  Reve- 
lation gives  us  all  our  knowledge  of  another  world, 
and  is  our  only  guide  to  future  glory ;  yet  infidels, 
more  cunning  than  the  serpent,  and  often  more  secret 
than  pestilence  or  death,  make  evei'y  effort  to  extin> 
guish  this  light,  to  bury  the  world  in  darkness  and 
despair.  Conscience  is  sacrificed,  genius  is  prosti- 
tuted, the  world  is  ransacked,  to  furnish  the  means  of 
their  fatal  purposes.  Some  write  travels^ ;  some, 
poemsf  ;  some,  notes  on  their  own  state| ;  some,  sar- 
castic essays^ ;  to  give  the  lie  to  Moses.  The  lava 
of  the  mountains  is  tortured  and  suborned  to  give  a 
false  testimony  against  revelation. 

They  would  bar  up  the  only  harbor,  which  leads 
to  the  celestial  city  ;  they  would  tear  away  the  only 
1)ridge  across  the  gulf  of  death.  They  would  rend 
the  sun  from  the  moral  system,  regardless  of  the 
darkness  and  horror,  which  would  follow.  They 
Avould  take  away  heaven,  and  leave  no  substitute. 

*  IJrvilone.    +  Barlow.    J  Jefferson.    §  Tom  Paine. 


i 


4 


»l 
til 

el 
ill 
ei 


)  , 


SB 


« 


4 


leads 

B  only 

1 

t  lend 

.'1,% 

9 

)f  the 

They 

te. 


Uiseavd  llie  gospel,  and  where  are  we  ?  Then, 
what  conHolulionH  suntitin  the  h<'iu  in  tlie  hxtg  night 
o(  adversity  ?  What  hi)(i('  cheers  the  mind,  looiiiiig 
into  the  world  of  si/iiits?  in  that  awful  moment, 
when  the  soul  U  leaving  (he  w((rld,  when  it  needs  tho 
strongest  consolations,  then  wurihl  infidels  tear  away 
the  last  hope  of  man,  and  shroud  the  prospect  with 
endless  despair.  Are  they  not  rivals  of  that  destroy- 
ing angel,  wiio  carried  guilt  and  death  into  the  how. 
ers  of  Eden  ? 

II.  If  the  gospel  be  so  glorious,  then  Missionary 
Societies  are  pious  and  laudable  institutions.  The 
object  of  the  gospel  is  so  great,  so  sublime,  that  no 
means  should  be  spared  to  insure  success.  To  com- 
bine the  experience,  the  exertions,  the  contributions 
ot  ti  Society,  is  to  multiply  the  probabilities  of  suc- 
cess. Such  associatitms,  therefore,  address  their  rea- 
sonable claims  of  support,  to  persons  of  most  profound 
wisdom,  of  the  most  illustrious  talents,  of  the  most 
opulent  possessions.  Nothing  ie  too  important  to  be 
consecrated  to  this  sacred  cause.  While  acting  alone, 
man  is  imbecile  and  defenceless  ;  his  sphere  is  limit- 
ed ;  his  efibrts  are  ineflicicnt.  Like  a  solitary  star, 
struggling  with  darkness,  his  most  powerful  oiTorts 
may  not  be  perceived  ;  but  united  with  others,  like  a 
celestiar constellation,  they  produce  a  field  of  light 
anihfjlpry.  In  all  their  important  concerns,  therefore, 
men  have  been  led  to  form  associations.  Mutually 
conscious  of  their  individual  weakness,  they  have 
spontaneously  united  together  to  accomplish  their 
great  enterpi-izes.  Hence  societies  of  various  names, 
in  almor;  every  profession  ;  hence  the  origin  of  civil 
gov?!  ament.     Blessed  be  God  !  many  of  our  people 


v^^ 


21 


>\ 


in  tills  country  ;  many  of  our  great  men,  many  of  our 
rich  men,  are  patrons  of  Missionary  Societies.  Our 
Governors  are  Presidents,  our  Legislators  are  Bene- 
factors of  such  Societies.  Very  much  lias  been  clone; 
very  much  is  now  doing.  The  holy  zeal  burns 
through  the  land.  Nor  are  we  the  only  people  en- 
gaged in  this  good  work.  All  Christendom  seems  to 
bs  roused  by  the  same  impulse.  From  Petersburg  to 
Calcutta,  we  hear  the  same  strains  of  Christian  bene- 
volence.    But  I  am  silent I  hear  the  Angel  of 

Justice  exclaim,  "  To  raise  thy  pious  wonder,  to  kin- 
dle thy  sacred  emulation,  look  up  to  the  London  Mis- 
sionary Society  and  the  British  Foreign  Bible  So- 
ciety, those  noblest  associations  ever  formed  in  our 
world,  and  the  parents  of  nearly  all  the  similar  so- 
cieties  which  now  exist.*  Their  Bishops,  their  Le- 
gislators, their  Nobles,  their  Royal  Princes,  are  the 
Patrons  or  Presidents  of  such  Societies.  They, 
with  other  Societies,  are  engaged  in  translating 
the  word  of  God  into  all  the  principal  languages 
of  the  Avorld.  Their  Missionaries,  like  the  angels 
in  the  fields  of  Betlilehem,  are  proclaiming  peace 
on  earth  and  good  will  to  man,  from  the  line  to 
the  poles ;  myriads  hang  on  their  lips,  and  join  in 
the  praises  of  Immanuel.  Their  Missionaries  have 
planted  the  Rose  of  Sharon  among  the  snows  of  Ice- 
land and  Labrador  ;  they  have  conveyed  the  balm  of 
life  to  the  coast  of  New-Holland,  to  China,  to  India, 

•  It  is  but  justice  here  to  state,  that  the  Baptist  Missionary  Society  in 
England,  was  established  two  or  tlirec  years  before  the  London  Society, 
and  has  contributed  a  liberal  share  of  influence  in  propagating^  the  Gospel 
among  the  heathen,  in  originating  similar  associations,  and  particularly 
in  translating  the  Scriptures  into  the  eastern  languages.  Ed. 


t 


lany  of  our 
jties.     Our 
s  are  Bene- 
been  done; 
zeal  burns 
people  en- 
)m  seems  to 
itersburg  to 
stian  bene- 
B  Angel  of 
der^  to  kin- 
ondon  Mis- 
Bible  So- 
med  in  our 
similar  so- 
s,  their  Le- 
ces,  are  the 
!s.      They, 
translating 
languages 
the  angels 
raing  peace 
the   line  to 
and  join  in 
laries  have 
ows  of  Ice- 
ihe  balm  of 
a,  to  India, 

mary  Society  in 
lOiidon  Society, 
injf  the  Gospel 
;ad  purticularly 
Ed. 


S5 

and  the  isles  of  the  Pacific  Ocean.  They  have  open- 
ed channels  for  the  river  of  life  among  the  mountains 
of  Caucasus,  and  in  the  burning  deserts  of  Africa. 
The  banner  of  the  cross  waves  on  the  towers  of  Ma- 
Iiomet,  and  the  Wolga  and  the  Ganges  listen  to  the 
songs  of  Zion.  On  the  other  side  of  the  flood,  in  the 
land  of  your  brothers,  whose  blood  rolls  in  your 
hearts,  you  witness  e\ory  thing  which  is  catholic  or 
liberal,  every  thing  which  is  enterprising  and  gener- 
ous, every  thing  which  is  opulent  and  grand  in  the 
cause  of  goodness  and  phil.anthropy.  Such  extensive 
and  magnificent  benevolence  is  (lisplaycil  in  no  other 
nation  of  tlic  globe.  Never  did  a  nation  stand  so 
high  in  virtue  and  glory.  No  where  else  has  the 
empire  of  Christian  charity  risen  so  illustrious  and 
suldime.  Such  arc  the  two  Englands.  Like  a  pa- 
rent and  child,  tliey  liave  united  together  to  promote 
the  glorious  gospel.  ShaU  they  not,  like  the  two 
luminaries  of  heaven,  contiiue  to  aid  each  other  in 
giving  light  and  glory  to  the  world  ?  JMust  not  our 
swords  turn  to  plow-shares  and  our  spears  to  pruning- 
hooks  ? 

111.  If  the  gospel  be  so  glorious,  ought  we  not 
to  bless  God  for  our  Christian  privileges,  and  do  nil 
in  our  power  to  extend  these  favors  to  others.  By 
the  gospel  ministry  the  revelation  of  God  is  explained, 
established,  and  enforced.  The  ministry  of  reconci- 
liation is  the  river  of  life.  Can  we  listen  to  the  in- 
structions of  our  spiritual  guides  ;  can  we  look  on  tlie 
chart  of  life  which  they  spread  before  us,  witluiit 
emotions  of  praise  and  thanksgiving  ?  Do  not  the 
peals,  which  summon  us  to  the  house  of  God,  IVoni 
sabbath  to  sabbath,  and  the  strains  of  heavenly  mer- 


S6 


ll    6  « 


I  f 


hi 


cy,  which  there  proclaim  pardon  and  glory  to  peni- 
tent  sinners,  excite  us  all  to  exclaim,  "  How  amiable 
are  thy  tpbernacles,  Lord  God  of  hosts  !"  Shall  Ave 
not  convey  this  divine  light  to  others  ?  This  holy 
cause  will  intallibly  triumph.  The  idols  of  pagan- 
ism, the  temples  of  infidel  philosophy,  will  vanish  be- 
fore the  light  of  th°  gosj»cL  The  Christian  Mission- 
ary goes  on  a  voyage  of  benevolence ;  so  angels  fly 
through  the  heavens,  sail  from  world  to  world,  to 
promote  the  same  glorious  cause.  Rulers  and  Legis- 
lators are  never  so  entirely  the  ministers  of  God  for 
good,  as  when  they  support  the  banner  of  the  cross. 
They  wisely  build  hospitals  and  found  seminaries  for 
the  public  good ;  why  should  they  not  regard  the 
higher  interests  of  man,  the  interests  of  the  Redeem- 
er's kingdom?  Why  should  they  not  protect  the 
church  in  "  the  w  ilderness,"  and  "  the  M'itnesses 
prophecying  in  sackcloth"  ?  When  nations  shall 
understand  their  best  interests,  then  kings,  or  rulers, 
instead  of  waging  ungodly  wars,  shall  be  nursing 
fathers,  and  queeus  nursing  mothers  of  the  church. 
Aaron  and  Moses  shall  lead  the  people  to  the  hea- 
venly Canaan. 

80  familiar  are  we  with  the  doctrines  and  duties 
of  revelation,  that  we  can  hardly  conceive  the  im- 
mense importance  of  conveying  it  to  others.  Were 
it  not  for  the  light  of  this  gospel,  we,  ice,  this  day 
might  have  been  worshipping  in  the  temple  of  Mars, 
or  shouting  the  praises  of  Bacchus,  or  ofi'ering  our 
children  on  the  altar  of  Moloch.  The  poor  will  cer- 
tainly then  contribute  tlieir  mite,  antl  the  rich  their 
silver  and  gold,  an  offering  to  the  glorious  gospel. — 
But 1  recollect  where  I  aw.    The  metropolis  of 


M. 


i 


.j^^>- 
1^^. 


;l()ry  to  peiii- 
How  amiable 
I"     Shall  >ve 
?     This  holy 
ols  of  pagan- 
ill  vanisli  be- 
tian  Mission- 
so  angels  fly 
to  world,  to 
i's  and  Legis- 
i  of  God  for 
of  the  cross, 
eminaries  for 
;  regard  the 
the  Redeem- 
protect  the 
le  witnesses 
tatlons  shall 
gs,  or  rulers, 
be  nursing 
the  church, 
to  the  hea- 

and  duties 
ive  the  im- 
!rs.  Were 
le,  this  diiy 
Je  of  Mars, 

^ft'ering  our 

>r  will  cer- 
rich  their 
gospel. — 

iropolis  of 


-7 

New-England  is  more  distinguished  for  its  princely 
benefactions,  than,  perhaps,  any  place  in  the  world  ; 
it  is  a  fountain  whose  streams  gladden  the  city  of 
God.     No  persuasion  would  prevent  your  offering  to 
'      the  Lord  the  present  which  you  have  brought  to  his 
house.     Angels,  who  hover  over  the  assemblies  of  the 
saints,  witness  your  pious  sacrifices.     Already  He 
who  sees  the  end  from  the  beginning,  has  prepared  a 
reward  for  those  who  cordially  support  his  cause. 
That  Saviour,  who  was  present  at  a  coutributiou  in 
^^    the  temple  of  Jerusalem,   is   present  now.     He  will 
accompany  those  who  receive  your  gifts  from  seat  to 
I     seat.     The  recording  aiigol  will  notice  the  widow's 
'      mite.     The  names  of  evi:ry  donor  will  be  written  in 
the  book  of  divine  remembrance.     In  the  great  day, 
when  the  son  of  man  shall  come  in  the  clouds  of  hea- 
ven, with  all  his  holy  angels  ;  when  the  earth  shall 
be  on  fire,  an<l  the  heavens  pass  away  w  ith  a  great 
j|     noise,  and  you  shall  be  caught  up  to  meet  the  Lord  in 
I     the  air,  then  will  he  say  to  every  one,  who  gave  a 
f     cup  of  water  to  a  disciple  in  the  name  of  a  disciple, 
**  Come  ye  blessed  of  my  Father,  inherit  the  kingdom 
prepared  for  you  before  the  foundatiuu  of  the  world." 
Vmcu. 


i 


-P 


1 


l-^- 


APFENBIX. 


INDIAXH. 


Stockbridge  /iitlians. 

Thk  Rev.  Mr.  Skkceant  has  bioiij^ht.  <lo\vn  liis  journal  lo . 
.Inly  1,  1814^ :  i'roin  uliich  it  appears  tliiit  liis  missionnry  st>r- 
viccn  have  been  iiniiitcrrupted.     ^^  ith  what  success,  a  fi'w  cx- 
Iracts  from  it  will  show.     Instances  of  individual  contfort  or 
improvement  are  worthy  of  notice     '•  August  1,  181  j,"  al'lor 
preaching  (o  the    Oneidas,  ISIr.  S.    "coneludod    tin*   day  liy 
preaching  a  third  sermon   at  a  pri\  ale  house,    where  rosi{!ed 
an  old  chi.if  called  Sknmmdo,  biitid  with  agi' ;  after  which  the 
old  man,  in  a  very  iifteelionale  manner,  thanked  both  speaker 
and  hearers  for  their  kind  attcntioit  to  hiiu  in  holding  a  meet- 
ing  at  his  house  ;    and  obsrived  that  he  had   much  pleasure 
and  comfort  in  hearing  the  word  of  Clod." — '•  Sept.  .3.     This 
day  visited  a  Christian  member  oi' the  church,  who  said  to  me, 
"  1  am  glad  to  see  you.     1  hope  I  am  ready  to  die,  if  it  be  God*« 
will.     1  feel  the  work  and   labour  of  a  Christian  is  a  great 
thing :  that  all  Christians  ought  to  be  engaged  and  faithful  in 
their  Masters  work."     A  siek  woman,  of  whom  the  Mission- 
ary says,  "  1  hope  a  Christian,"  on  being  asked   if  she   was 
ready  and  willing  to  go,  if  it  were  the  Lord's  will,  answered, 
"  If  I  know  my  own  heart,  if  the  Lord  thinks  I  have  finished 
my  work,  I  look  upon  it  beautiful  to  leave  all  and  go  to  Him ; 
lor  in  Him  is  all  my  comfort  and  happiness  for  this  life  and 
the   life  to  come."      Soon  after,  he  observes,  "  Preached  a 
funeral  sermon  on  occasion  of  the  death  of  the  above  mentioned 
Christian  woman,  who  I  have  good  reason  to  believe  died  in  tho 
faith."     The  journal  records  instances  of  a  general  nature,  of 
A  favourable  reception  and  improvement  of  the  instructions 


'1 
!  h 

I 

ii 


'I 


la 


.» ? 


30 

and  counsels  of  the  Missionary.  Having  attended  a  funeral 
at  a  village  of  Oncidas,  who  live  near  the  residence  of  his  fa< 
mily,  "  commonly  called  the  Pagan  party,''  he  observes  :  "  It 
always  appeared  to  me,  the  young  people  and  part  of  the 
chiefs  were  always  fond  of  hearing  religious  instruction.  They 
sung  a  psulm  in  their  own  language,  and  all  behaved  well." 
The  use  of  ardent  spirits  is  discountenanced  with  some  snccess. 
A  religious  woman  and  member  of  the  church  had  occasion  to 
raise  a  barn.  "  Her  carpenters  were  sober  people.  She  de- 
termined not  to  have  any  spirituous  liquors  made  use  of  on  the 
occasion.  Some  of  her  fiicmls,  fond  of  liquor,  remonstrated." 
Her  reply  being  discreetly  decisive,  "  all  opposition  ceased  ; 
liarmony  ensued."  At  an  Indian  wedding,  the  Missionary  gave 
an  address  on  the  duties  and  blessings  of  the  marriage  life. 
*'  The  invitation,  according  to  custom  among  the  principal  fa- 
milies, was  public.  The  larger  half  of  the  tribe  Mas  collected  ; 
a  handsome  table,  which  would  hold  about  25  persons,  waH 
spread ;  a  plentiful  supply  of  provisions  prepared,  but  no  li- 
quor. No  disorder  took  place,  but  all  behaved  with  becoming 
propriety,  and  dispersed  after  supper  to  their  several  homes." 
It  is  encouraging  to  remark  that  this  attempt  for  the  expulsion 
of  the  worst  enemy,  is  attended  with  the  introduction  of  the 
!»est  friend,  of  man — the  Bible.  At  a  conference  meeting,  the 
Missionary  "  read  a  passage  of  Scripture  in  their  language. 
Many  had  their  Bibles  to  look  over — all  appeared  solemn  and 
engaged  while  he  "  explained  the  word."  Mr.  H(  rgeant,  with 
gratel'iii  acknowledgments  to  Divine  Providence,  observes  :  "  1 
have  been  able  to  attend  the  duties  of  my  mission  every  Sab- 
bath, and  also  one  evening  every  week  to  attend  a  conference 
meeting,  which  I  consider  as  vely  profitable  to  my  people,  al- 
ways spent  in  reading  and  explaining  some  passage  of  Scrip- 
ture, most  commonly  reading  the  Word  of  CJod  in  their  language. 
And  as  1  have  procure^l  them  many  Bibles  from  the  Bible  So- 
ciety of  Utica,  of  which  1  am  a  member,  1  require  them  to 
take  their  Bibles,  and  diligently  attend  to  what  is  read." — .The. 
encouragement  given  to  industry,  must  be  favourable  to  the  suc- 
cess of  the  mission.  The  Missionary  mentions,  "  for  the  infor- 
mation of  the  Society,  that  sixty  yards  of  cloth  have  bccu  nio.  • 


'J: 


i> 


age. 

and 

with 

«1 

Sab- 
•eiute 

al- 
rip> 
uye. 

So- 

m  tr> 

The 

siie- 

ilbr- 


Biifachiretl  from  fla\  niii]  woo!  t';ii«p(I  in  I'tr  to^ui  tlic  siirntiMM 
past.  Tliore  liis  also  l)i"  u  a  s|iinniiiij;  stliool  kojif  at  I'ly  lioiise 
b>  a  yoii'i!^  Inilia:>  wohkiii  :  uj'Manls  of*  I'ort^  i;lrls  liavc  hy 
turns  attcmlt'd.  'I'liey  luul  only  I"')"!'  wliocls  to  make  use  of, 
giviMi  (liein  l)y  the  people  culled  The  Frit-ads.  Tlicrc  haM* 
he(M»  about  oif^hly  runs  of  yarn  H;iun,  but  iir-t  wove  as  )  t.  It 
18  expected  (o  have  a^i  ni'ieh  more  spun  the  next  season,  when 
it  will  be  made  inio  cloth.''' 

An  extract  from  a  Letter  of  Capt.  IlendriL-k  to  one  of  his 
sons,  "  wlio  had  been  out  at  school  for  three  yenrs  past,  and 
educated  by  white  people,*'  is  transcribed  into  the  Journal. 
The  letter  is  dated  "  tSix-Mile  Creak,  ISih  March,  18li.*'  A 
specimen  of  it  is  subjoined  :  '•  It  gave  me  satisfaction  to  hear 
from  my  beloved  little  son,  who  is  enabh  d  to  communicate  his 
address  to  a  falher,  who  I)y  Providence  resides  upwards  than 
six  hundred  miles.  My  son,  by  your  letter  it  seems  you  had 
entertain  some  mistaken  thoughts  in  thinkiu:;  you  are  fort^ot- 
ten  by  your  father,  or  at  least  you  think  of  him  ofiener  tliau 
he  does  of  you.  This  belongs  to  llim  who  knows  all  our  secret 
thoughts  to  decide.  But  in  the  mean  time  I  am  thankful  to 
the  Almighty,  that  he  has  protected  you,  and  brought  you  back 
to  your  native  ground,  with  certain  portion  of  learning,  that 
you  could  write  such  a  good  hand,  and  express  yourself  in  En- 
glish language,  so  you  could  be  understood  by  whites,  and 
could  begin  to  attend  some  business  to  help  your  fellow-crea- 
tures. My  dear  son,  be  cautious,  be  not  pulled  up  with  your 
little  learning  or  talent;  but  look  to  Hint  who  can  give  wisdom 
to  all  those  who  ask  him  right."  Having  mentioned  the  dis- 
covery of  hostile  Indians  "  three  miles  from  our  cantps,"  he 
adds,  "  We  gave  notice  to  the  whites.  AVe  move  our  camps  to 
the  Delawares.  The  whole  number  of  our  camps  is  about  J.m 
fires,  upwards  than  i  '.00  souls  of  Wampanahkus,  out  uf  which 
about  100  warriors  went  to  join  Harrison's  army,  and  upwards 
than  too  died  of  sickness."  The  latter  concludes  thus  :  "  My 
sons,  you  must  exert  yourselves  to  work  on  the  lands  to  raise 
something.  Follow  the  industry,  and  frugality  as  well  as  so- 
briety, and  the  good  Lord  of  all  will  bless  your  means,  as  he 
hath  promised,  is  the  prayer  of  your  aftectionate  father, 

"'  IIkNDUK'K  Aui'A'JMLT." 


f 

;■    -it 


32 


Mr.  Sertjoaiil  olisrrvps,  *'  In  the  year  past  [lSt3]  there  haVf 
bteii  10  (icalhs  and  i2  hirlhs. 

<J\'arrns;ansets. 
Mr.  Shohf.s,  liaving  siitislaclorily  (aiiglit  the  Inilian  school 
al  Oliiirlestuwn  (Tl.  I.)  the  last  year,  has  been  reapjtuiiifeil  its 
iiHfnieler.  His  jonrnais  lu  the  6lh  of  October  hist  are  received. 
All  iiiicominoii  seriousness  prevailed  among  the  Indians  the  last 
year,  whicli  had  a  visible  inflnence  on  parents  and  children  in 
referenee  to  the  school;  rendering  both  more  solicitous  to  im- 
prove the  privilege.  The  favourable  effect  of  it  on  the  school 
itself  is  refiM-red  to  by  Mr.  Shores  in  his  first  journal,  when  he 
observes,  *'  Almighty  God  is  able  to  do  all  things.  Through 
his  mercy  T  have  been  able  to  keep  beyond  my  hopes  or  fearn 
nearly  as  good  order  in  school  as  any  other  that  I  ever  taught, 
or  as  is  kept  in  schools  in  Massachusetts  ;  but  this  was  not  the 
case  before,  as  I  trust  through  your  prayers  God  did  begin  a 
good  work  among  the  scholars.  The  scholars  have  learned  to 
read  beyond  what  I  could  hope."  In  a  late  communication, 
accompanying  his  last  journal,  he  observes  :  '''  It  is  not  neces- 
sary for  me  to  mention,  or  possible  to  describe,  the  miserable 
and  wretched  state  of  the  Narraganset  tribe — but,  after  all  that 
can  be  said  to  discourage  the  use  of  means  for  their  welfare, 
are  not  those  discouragements  really  arguments  in  favour,  when 
we  consider  that  thirty  years  or  more  had  elapsed  when  this 
school-house  Mas  built,  since  they  had  had  a  school  among 
them,  and  much  improvement  cannot  immediately  be  expected. 
There  arc  some  things  (hat  afford  some  encouragement  at  least. 
At  the  civse  of  my  last  school  the  Indian  Council,  with  a  num- 
ber of  the  heads  of  the  families  visited  my  school,  and  examin- 
ed how  the  scholars  had  attended;  and  after  hearing  the  school, 
the  President  of  the  Council  rose  and  exhorted  the  parents, 
in  the  strongest  terms,  to  pay  better  attention,  and  so  did  the 
others,  to  prepare  for  the  winter  school.  And  although  they 
have  no  realizing  sense  of  the  worth  of  learning,  and  are  very 
inattentive,  yet  after  all,  most  of  those  that  have  attended  have 
made  some  improvement.     About  eighteen  of  those  within*  can 

*  deferring  to  an  inclosed  List  of  his  scholars.    The  whole  number  of 
names  is  5i.    Tiie  greatest  number  that  attended  at  one  time  war-  33. 


89 

I  tad  a  chapter  aPler  h  sort,  and  perhaps  four  or  five  consitlera' 
biy  well.  I  have  catechized  the  scholars  at  least  once  a  ^veek, 
Bfid  individuals,  who  get  lessons,  much  oftener.  Those  that  I 
mentioned  in  a  former  letter  appear  to  remain  generally  pious* 
1  expect  that  the  number  of  scholars  this  winter  will  he  larger 
than  ever  before ;  and  as  those  that  arc  pious  will  probably  at* 
tend  and  will  try  to  learn  ;  that,  unless  I  am  overrun,  or  some 
other  unforeseen  event  should  occur,  will  be  of  more  use  than 
all  I  have  done  before  Inwards  their  learning.  I  trust  that  a 
small  number  in  Charlestown  will  bless  God  to  all  eternity  for 
what  He  has  made  your  Society  the  means  of  doing  there* 
><pclUng,  reading  and  catechism  are  the  chief  things  that  I 
Httend  to.  By  the  leave  of  Mr.  Tcnney,  I  took  in  last  summer 
n  few  while  chlMren,  which  will  he  likoly  to  have  a  good  ef< 
feet  upon  the  Indians ;  which  I  shall  have  no  need  to  do  this 
winter  probably.  Those  children  had  no  other  school,  but  liv- 
id among  the  Indians,  and  were  poor.*' 

f  Wyandot  s. 

We  notice  these  Tndlans  here,  because  they  have  heretofore 
received  aid  from  us.  Mr.  Suhennerhorn,  in  his  copious  and 
valuable  Report  to  the  Society,  mentions  this  tribe  among  nu- 
merous others  ;  and  observes  that  the  mission  of  the  Synod  of 
Pittsburg  among  this  nation  has  met  with  considerable  success* 
••  There  have  been  several  hopeful  converts  to  Christianity, 
and  nmny  of  the  young  children  have  been  instructed  in  read- 
ing and  writing,  in  which  they  ntade  good  proficieney.  The 
s^orm  nf  ivar  drove  them  from  their  peaceful  habitation,  and 
they  have  sought  refuge  among  the  white  inhabitants.  They 
arrived  at  Zanestown,  near  Urbana,  in  >Jovember,  1S13.  They 
sided  with  us  in  the  war." 


In*  can 

Imber  of 


Westtrn  Indians, 

The  total  extinction  of  most  of  the  Indian  tribes  in  New-En- 
gland, and  tlie  extreme  diminution  of  those  which  remain,  may 
render  it  expedient  for  the  Society  to  extend  its  charily  to  tribes 
in  the  remote  parts  of  North-America.  The  design  of  tJie 
commission  given  in  liil2'  to  Messrs.  Mills  and  Suhermerhorn 


|!l 


'! 


I 


tt'A<>,  (o  proenrc  exucl  iiifurmution  ufllic  stale  ol'sacli  ruinotc 
<riI)i'H.   willi  pnrliciilnr  rcrcreiice  (o  I'lifure  inissiotm,  wlieiievtT 
they   inay  he  .judged  practicnblu  nnd  expedient.     The  Ileportt 
moiitioiied   in  nur  lust  publicalion,  as  prcpurin!^  for  the  So- 
ciety, uaa  communicated  at  the  unniiiil  meeting  in  May ;  nnJ 
copies  of  it  have  been  printed  for  the  use  of  the  membcrR.     It 
is  very  copious  and  satinfactory,  and  may,  nt  some  future  peri- 
ot],  be  of  great  practical   utility.      Of  the   numerous   tribes, 
hoMever,  which  the    Report  embraces,    there    arc    very  few 
uhieh,    even    in   a    state  of  peace,    would    seem   to  promise 
facilities  to  missions  ;  and  none  whicli,  in  the  present  perturb- 
ed condition  of  the  country,  encourage  any  conHideratile  eilorts 
for  their  moral  and  religious  improvement.     Those  which  ap- 
pear the  most  promising  w  ill  here  be  briedy  noticed.     *'  The 
Jiclnwares,  residing  on  White  river,  a  branch  of  the  Wabasih, 
in  Indiana  territory,  have,  for  several  years,  refjuesled  the  .^/n- 
iic^'aiiH,  of  New-S;(»ckbridge,  to  come  and   settle  with  th^im  ; 
I'.nd  in  that  c;ise  would  consent  to  receive  a  Missionary  am(»ng 
tiiein.     Many  of  the  Stoi'kbridge  Intlians   have  been  to  view 
tl'.e  country :  some  are  there  now,  and,  in  all  probability,  ere 
long  all  will  remove  there.     This  would  prove  a  great  blessing 
to  the  Dolawares  ;  for  their  brethren,  the  >Slockbridgc  Indians, 
have  made  great  progress  in  agriculture  and  <^ivilization,  be- 
><ides  having  a  church  formed  among  them,  and  at  least  thirty 
professors  of  religicMi."     The  Jliamies  and  their  kindred  tribe* 
present  some  en««ouragen»e»t.     "  The   Society  of  Friends,  at 
Oaltiiiiore,  have  been  engaged  fur  some  time  pa.tt  to  introduce 
agriculture  among  them.     They  have  in  a  measure  succeeded, 
and  many  of  them  now  raise  considerable  quantities  of  cum. 
I'he  Agent  for  Indian  affairs  in  that  part  of  the  country  spoke 
M'ry  flatteringly  before  this  war,  of  the  prospect  of  the  Indian!^ 
turning  their  attention    to  agriculture    and    civilixaticm,    and 
adopting  the  manner  of  life  anmng  the  whites.*'    The  Cherolcecs 
^*  have    made    greater  progress  in    fivilizatio'i   and    agricul- 
ture, than  any  Indian  tribe  within  the  United  States.     Many 
have  large  fine  farms,  and  raise  large  quantities  of  corn  and 
ntliei'  grain  ;  also  flocks  and  herds,  and  make  llseir  own  elotli- 
ing.     The  number    oi'  ihis   nation  is  l?,3<Jj  souls.:    prob.ibly 


t-:** 


3.-) 

sniio  ^vairiors.  Tiierc  wns  a  mNsion  C!itab!ishc(]  in  t1ii<t  Irilie 
}ty  Key.  Gideon  niuckliurn,  in  isuk  J^o  t^ave  tlu'  rudiineiits 
«i'  II  common  Englisli  rduKiition  to  -KtU  or  am  children,  unti  in- 
structed them  at  llic  same  time  in  tlic  |]niicipli-s  ol'  lUe  (Jliri«- 
tiua  religion.  There  were  aomu  liopL-i'iil  cuiivcrtii ;  one  anioii^ 
th<>  scholars.  Mr.  Dinckburn,"  for  want  of  support,  "K-l'tlhe 
niisigion  in  ISIO.  Since  that  time  tlie  (ieneral  Asseniblv  of  thn 
Fresbyterian  Church  have  continued  a  school  in  the  nation." 
An  extract  of  a  history  of  one  of  the  schools,  and  some  hand- 
somely written  and  well  composed  lelters  of  the  pupils,  accom- 
panied the  Report.  "  Here  'n  a  door  opened  for  thK  spread  of 
the  Gospel.  It  is  the  opinion  of  Mr.  Blackburn,  had  ho  been 
supported  in  the  mission,  that,  ere  this,  he  might  have  been 
able  to  extend  the  mission  to  the  Cbickcsaws  an<l  Chacktaws, 
if  not  also  to  the  Creeks. — Among  the  Chirkc.sawn  the  Ncw- 
Vark  Missionary  Society  have  had  a  mission  for  a  few  years  ; 
but  meeting  with  little  success,  it  has  been  discontinued.  They 
are  by  no  means  unfriendly  to  missions,  for  Mr.  Blackburn 
has  been  applied  to  by  one  of  the  Chiefs  to  open  a  school  amon^ 
them  ;  and  that  they  are  sincere  in  this,  is  evident  from  the  fact, 
(hat  the  Indians  do  support  a  school  at  their  own  exponoe. 
This  tribe  has  made  great  progress  in  civilization  and  agricul- 
ture. In  general,  they  are  removing  out  of  their  old  villages, 
and  clearing  up  small  plantations,  on  which  they  raise  corn  and 
other  kinds  of  grain,  potatoes,  melons,  and  cotton.  The  women 
spin,  weave,  and  knit,  and  have  very  comfortable  dwellings. 
Many  of  them  have  large  herds  of  catlle  and  droves  of  swine, 
which  live,  winter  and  summer,  in  the  woods,  without  much 
attention."— The  Chactaws  are  making  great  improvements  in 
agriculture  and  civilization ;  the  Chiefs  encourage  it.  Mr. 
Schermerhorn  saw,  in  one  of  their  houses,  spinning,  weaving 
and  knitting,  and  the  family  clothed  in  cloth  of  their  own  ma- 
nufacture. They  raise  great  quantities  of  corn  ;  and  also  con- 
siderable stocks  of  cattle,  and  horses,  hogs,  poultry,  &c.  He 
had  considerable  conversation  with  the  Agent  of  this  nation, 
>Silas  Dismore,  Esq.  on  the  subject  of  missions  among  them  . 
who  expressed  himself  favourably  to  the  object,  and  wished  a 
school  might  be  immediately  opened  at  the  Agency.     He  as- 


#*- 


V^:  iK.»— -^  - 


30 

fared  Mr.  S.  (hat  (he  Indianx  were  pRuting  lor  iiintruelioii,  ami 
hail  earrioHlly  rcqui'sled  him  to  have  srhunlH  CHtablithed  amont; 
them.  He  IhinkH  (he  ime  nf  any  quantity  of  IhimI  might  lie  ob- 
tained toward  the  nupport  of  tho  minion.— The  Crreka  have 
made  considerable  improvements  in  agriculture  and'eivili7.ation. 
The  A^ent  of  (his  nation  ii«  opposed  (o  the  spread  of  the  Gos- 
pel among  them.  Mr.  Schcrmerliorn  could  not  learn  that  theru 
is  even  a  school  among  them  to  give  them  instruction,  and 
thus  prepare  them  to  understand  the  Uospcl.  The  number  iu 
this  nation  is  probably  30,000  souls  ;  SOOO  warriors.  "  Of  the 
tribes  in  the  United  States  proper,  the  (Mierokees,  Chickesawt 
and  Chactaws  appear  the  most  favourable  for  the  establish' 
ment  of  a  mission  with  (he  prospect  nf  success.  To  the  Che- 
rokees  the  General  Assembly  of  the  Presbyterian  Church  have 
turned  their  attention,  and  arc  looking  for  Missioitaries  of  a 
proper  character,  to  send  among  them.  The  Chickesaws  and 
Chuctaws  are  more  numerous  than  the  aggregate  uf  all  the 
tribes  lietween  the  Ohio  and  the  Lakes ;  and  also  speak  the 
same  language.  From  these  circumstances  solely,  other  things 
being  equal,  a  mission  would  be  more  desirable,  and  the  pros- 
pect  of  success  greater,  than  among  either  of  (he  small  tribes 
in  Indiana  or  Illinois."  For  these  and  other  reasons,  assigned 
in  the  Report,  a  mission  among  those  two  tribes  is  judged  (a 
promise  more  success  than  among  the  Creeks,  or  among  any 
of  the  tribes  iu  Louisiana. 


N 


DISTRICT  OF  M.iLVE. 

The  Missionaries,  appointed  the  last  year  for  this  District, 
have  performed  the  service  assigned  them,  and  made  their  re- 
turns. Nothing  of  importance  has  occurred  to  vary  the  gene- 
ral view  heretofore  given  of  this  region.  We  have  to  regret 
the  deprivation  of  th?  very  useful  services  of  Rev.  Mr.  May  by 
his  removal  from  the  District.  He  closed  his  mission  in  May 
last,  and  did  not  accept  the  appointment  for  the  present  year. 
On  his  mission  he  "  learnt  with  pleasure  that  the  people  at 
Oldtown  and  at  Sunkhaze  (indeed  they  are  but  one  people)  still 
keep  themselves  free  from  sectarian  and  phrenetic  religiuu. 


I, 


87 

fimnc  of  t!ic  pertplu  cxprriifKMl  in  a  voliinlrtr)  mitniier  a  t^nilet'ul 
rrcolleolinn  of  llie  former  ravorN  of  the  SocicI  v  lo  thi-ni,  aixl 
are  atill  liopifit;  for  fiirllicr  ufiiiHtuiice.  I  think,"  he  ohHerveRi 
**  I  can  HtiCi-lv  rticoininciid  thiH  placL'  n»  a  ^ooil  tttuiiil  for  a  Mi»« 
•innury.  f  re  he  mi^lit  have  a  con^iiliTalile  and  pretty  com* 
pact  field  of  iiMefiiln"s4.  lie  ini^lit  lie  UHefiil  to  our  own  popu- 
lation, and  useful  tu  the  Indiana.  The  eHtaliliihnu'iit  of  Hnch 
a  missinn  is  the  only  probable  inennsof  inlrodllrin^  the  Goiipel 
in  itN  purity  ainonjf  this  latter  deplorably  ii;nnraiit  and  iiu|ier- 
•titioii!!  people,  and  by  thiH  nieaiiH  it  appears  lo  mo  Aomclhint; 
mi,:;lil  be  dune  to  the  purpose.''  The  journal  closes  >vith  thiii 
view  of  the  good  e  Heels  of  the  wiiole  mission.  '"The  Jjiofiety 
will  wish  to  know  what  ^ood  has  been  etteeted  by  (he  mission. 
In  reply,  1  vouUI  beg  leave  to  obficrve,  that  the  Gospel  has 
been  preached  tu  tliu  poor  and  destitute  pretty  regularly 
thruugli  the  space  of  more  tlian  four  years,  almost  never  to  less 
than  twenty,  generally  to  thirty,  forty,  fifty  persons,  and  some- 
times to  still  greater  numbeis.  In  consequence  hereof  the  tone 
nf  moral  and  religious  feeling  in  the  people  has  been  raised, 
and  many  of  thcni  have  been  visibly  reclaimed  from  idle  and 
dissipated  habits  on  the  habbath,  and  some  of  them  become 
Mtrenuous  advocates  and  examjiles  of  its  due  sanctificHtion. 
The  few  professing  people  of  Christ  have  from  time  to  tim)> 
been  instructed  and  edified,  and  in  some  instances  sinners  ha>!- 
bccn  hopefully  converted,  and  brought  to  the  love  and  practice 
of  the  truth.  The  young  have  been  greatly,  and  by  them  ae- 
knowledgedly  henelited  by  the  books  of  the  Society,  and  great- 
ly stimulated  in  the  acquisition  of  a  good  school  education. 
On  the  whole  it  may  be  confidently  hoped,  that  a  little  mound 
of  moral  and  religious  principles  and  habits  has  been  raised, 
which  will  withstand  (he  attritions  of  error  and  the  lapse  of 
time  for  many  years.  Your  benevolence  has  laid  up  in  store 
facilities  for  those,  who  with  your  views  shall  hereafter  wish 
to  disseminate  the  word  of  life  in  this  region." — Rev.  Mr. 
Smith  has  performed  the  four  months'  service,  assigned  him 
at  Temple  and  the  vicinity  ;  and  it  appears  to  have  been  grate- 
fully accepted. — Uev.  Mr.  liOVEJov  has  performed  a  mission 
of  two  months,    at  >'assall)orough  and  the  vicinity,  withtUu 


y 


33 

xj»«hI  aeccplancc  anil  apparent  usefulness. — Mr.  Cochran  lia« 
)ierrui'med  the  service  o«'  (wo  months,  assigned  him  this  yeai> 
at  Appleton  and  the  vicinity ;  and  has  found  encouragement 
in  his  preaching,  and  particularly  in  his  attentions  to  the  in- 
struction of  children  and  youth. — Rev.  Nathaniel  Pouter 
performed  a  mission  of  four  months  the  hist  year  at  Alfred 
and  the  vicinity,  in  the  county  of  York.  He  met  so  favourable 
a  reception  and  found  so  much  encouragement  at  Alfred,  as  to 
be  induced  to  spend  most  of  the  Salibaths  during  the  mission 
in  that  place,  the  inhabitants  of  which  gave  fifty  dollars  to  the 
funds  of  the  Society.  This  respectable  Missionary  was  re- 
appointed by  the  .Society  at  the  last  annual  meeting,  hut  found 
it  necessary  to  decline  the  service.  Disappointed  in  this  hope, 
the  Select  Committee  directed  Mr.  Piper  to  the  same  ground, 
ficcupied  the  last  year  by  Mr.  Porter. — The  Rev.  Mr.  Piper 
has  performed  a  mission  of  four  months  there,  for  which  there 
was  an  auspicious  introduction  by  the  labours  of  the  preceding 
Missionary.  At  Alfred  they  offered  to  provide  him  a  fixed 
lodging,  but  he  judged  that  he  could  more  effectually  attain  the 
object  of  his  mission  by  a  circuitous  visitation ;  and  such  was 
the  kindness  with  which  he  was  treated  in  their  houses;  that, 
instead  of  the  privations  and  self-denials  usually  attendant  on 
missions,  in  some  of  the  new  settlements,  he  met  an  ample  share 
of  the  comforts  of  social  life  ;  and,  what  was  more  pleasing, 
a  disposition  to  join  in  religious  conversation,  w  hich,  as  there 
were  no  lectures,  he  endeavoured  to  cultivate.  Most  of  those, 
whose  families  he  visited,  lamented  their  situation  as  it  respec- 
ted the  ordinances  of  the  gospel,  which  they  entertained  but  a 
faint  hope  of  ever  enjoying  statedly  among  them.  In  this  place 
he  preached  eighteen  sermons,  administered  the  Lord's  Supper 
twice,  baptized  five  children,  and  visited  two  schools.  The 
rest  of  his  services  were  performed  in  Shapleigh  and  Newfield, 
where  they  appear  to  have  been  very  seasonable  and  useful. 
After  some  just  strictures  on  recent  occurrences  in  the  last  of 
these  places,  not  less  affecting  than  disgusting  to  enlightened 
piety,  he  expresses  a  belief  that '''  some  good  fruit"  had  resulted 
from  the  fanaticism.  "  It  has  caused,"  he  observes,  "  a  seri- 
ous enfjiiiry  in  the  min;ls  of  several,  w  ho  are  free  from  the  in- 


easing, 
,s  there 
tho^e, 
espec- 
but  a 
|S  place 
upper 
The 
wiield, 
useful, 
last  of 
htened 
suited 
a  seri- 
Ithe  in- 


^ 


39 

fliience  of  a  secfaiian  spirit;  five  of  uhleh  iiuniltor,  It  Is  v\* 
peeled^  will  he  received  into  the  churcli  the  next  sahhuth.  In 
the  two  last  towns,  includiui;  what  remains  of  the  engagement 
to  be  fulfilled,  i  shall  have  preached  forty  sermons,  administer- 
ed the  sacrament  (w  ice,  admitted  six  into  the  church,  baptized 
eight,  and  visited  one  school."  Mr.  P.  entertains  "  some  hope 
that  sectarian  influence  is  near  its  decline.  A  contempt  of  re- 
ligious institutions,  profanation  of  the  sabbath,  and  gross  im- 
moralities, have  kept  pace  with  the  declining  strength  and  over- 
throw of  regular  religious  societies;  and  the  alarm  which  has 
been  justly  excited  in  thi^  sober  and  rellecting  part  of  the  com- 
tniinitV)  will,"  he  hopes,  "  excite  them  to  the  use  of  such  ef- 
forts, as,  by  the  blessing  of  Heaven,  will  give  some  check  to 
this  formidable  evil." 

A  very  interesting  communication  has  been  received    from 
Rev.  Mr.  Nurse,  whose  dilignnt  and  discreet  labours  at  Klls- 
worlh,  particularly  among  children  and  youth,  coittiniio  to  lie 
crowned  with  great  success.     The  Selectmen  and  Seliool  Coni- 
mittce  of  the  town  have  "tendered  to  the  Society,  in  behalf  of 
the  inhabitants,  their  most  grateful  acknowledgments  for  its 
generous  and  benevolent  aid  in  enabling  them  to  support  the 
[central]  school  in  said  town  under  his  direction ;  than  which 
(hey  believe  there  is  none  more  useful  in  the  (Jommonwealth.'' 
The  number  of  his  scliolars  has  varied  fntm  about  forty  to 
eighty  and  upwards.     His  method   of  conilucting  the  school, 
while  adapted  to  its  largeness,  has  been  highly  useful  in  qua- 
lifying scholars  to  become  teachers.     "  The  method,"  he  writes, 
"  which  I  have  adopted,  has  been  to  class  my  scholars,  and  to 
employ  such  as  are  best  informed  to  teach  (he  younger  classes  ; 
having  an  eye,  however,  to  the  whole  myself.     In  this  way  my 
older  scholars  are  trained  up  to  the  business  of  instructing." 
Besides  the  instruc(ers,  mentiuMcd  in  onr  last  Report  as  furnish- 
ed from  his  school,  he  writes,  "  six  young  wonteu,  members  of 
my  school,  will  probably  be  employed  in  this  town  the  greater 
part  of  this  summer  season  ;  and  five  are  engaged  to  keep  in 
the  neighbouring  towns  and  plantatious."     The  Society  wei« 
»o  fully  satisfied  with  the  evidences  fiiruislieil  of  the  extensive 
and  still  extending  iuttueuce  of  Mr.  Nursu's  useful  services,,  that 


''i>m 


I' 


40 

at  the  last  annual  meeMiig,  in  addilion  to  a  grant  nf  one  Iiuii- 
ilrcd  dollars  to  Iiiin,  tlicy  voted  tlie  same  sum  for  the  support 
of  schools  at  his  discretion.— Testimonials  have  been  receiv-^ 
ed  from  Jackson  to  the  good  acceptance  and  usefulness  of  the 
labours  of  Rev.  Mr.  AVarren  ;  who,  in  addition  to  his  profes- 
sional duties,  has  appropriated  a  part  of  his  time  to  the  in- 
struction of  youths  The  lust  winter  he  had  upwards  of  lift j 
scholars  under  his  instruction.  "  He  has  given  general  satis- 
faction both  in  school  and  in  preaching." 

Important  information  respecting  Norridgewock  induced  the 
appointment  of  Mr.  Josiah  Peat  (since  ordained  as  a  Minister 
there)  to  a  mission  of  three  months  in  that  vicinity. 


ft 
J 


The  Rev.  Mr.  Coe  has  accomplished  a  mission  of  two  months 
at  Dartmouth,  (Mass.)  and  the  vicinity,  since  his  appointment 
in  May.  Tiie  people  "  gratefully  acknowledge  the  favour  of 
the  Society  in  granting  them  assistance  in  their  present  neces- 
sity." A  letter  from  a  Committee  of  the  Church  in  Dartmouth 
feelingly  expresses  this  acknowledgment,  informing  also  that  a 
vote  of  thanks  to  the  Society  was  unanimously  passed  by  the 
Church  "  for  this  important  favour,"  and  expressing  a  desire 
of  further  u&sistance. 


OHIO, 

The  failure  of  the  'ni  uon  at  Sandusky  having  prevented 
the  application  of  a  grant  of  seventy-four  dollars  voted  to  that 
mission  in  18tl ;  the  Rev.  Mr.  Badger,  to  whom  that  sum 
uas  entrusted,  and  who  had  seasonably  given  information  of  the 
failure,  was  authorized  and  instructed  to  perform  missionary 
service,  for  a  term  proportioned  to  that  grant,  in  the  destitute 
parts  of  Ohio.  He  has  recently  performed  the  service,  to  the 
satisfaction  of  the  Society.  Beside  the  usual  missionary  duties^ 
he  assisted  at  the  ordination  of  two  Ministers,  and  in  the  for- 
mation of  the  "  Connecticut  Reserve  Bible  Society."  The 
people  in  that  region  exj)rt.ssed  to  him  "  their  sense  of  the 
wondorfiil  condescension  and  goodness  of  God,  ia  raising  up 


-iSKeii(«k-f,v 


i: 


41 

such  a  missionary  spirit,  and  in  sending  the  Gospel  to  them  at 
80  early  a  period  in  these  new  settlements.  They  often  speak 
of  the  benevolence  of  the  people  in  Me\v-England  in  scmling 
Missionaries  to  this  country.  Many  prayers  and  thanksgivings 
are  oft'ercd  up  to  God  for  them  and  for  these  inestimable  bles- 
sings. There  arc  in  this  part  of  the  state  of  Ohio  (a  tract 
nearly  as  large  as  the  old  state  of  Massachusetts)  eleven  Mini- 
sters, including  the  Missio?iaries — four  of  them  are  stationary. 
Seven  missionate  a  part  of  the  time.  How  great  the  field  and 
harvest,  to  lyiic  number  of  labourers  !" 


The  Society  has  again  attended   to  the  exigences  of  Pro- 
^  incetown  ;  made  a  grant  to  one  of  its  old  and  faithful  Missi- 
onaries for  recent  useful  services ;    and  appropriated  a  sum 
for  the   purchase  of  books.      The   continued  distribution   of 
hooks  is  gratefully  acknouledged  by  the  receivers.     A  consi- 
dirable  number  was  sent  the  last  year  for  the  benefit  of  the 
mission  in  York  county ;    and,  though  not  arriving  in  season 
for  Mr.  Porter,  they  have  since  been  distributed  in  the  region 
of  that  mission  by  Rev.  Mr.  Fletcher,  who  very  obligingly  of- 
fered to  "  distribute  apart  of  them  in  person,  among  those  fa- 
milies where  he  had  reason  to  beiieve  they  would  answer  tlie 
design  of  the  donors,  and  the  remainder  by  trusty  agents  with- 
whom  he  has  lon-^lieen  acquainted."     Tbe«di:itributiun  of  the 
present  year  will  be  enriched  by  the  addition  of  fifty  Bibles^ 
given  to  the  Society  for  that  purpose  by  the  Massachusetts  Bi- 
ble Society  ;    w  liieh    donation  is  gratefully  acknowledged. — • 
The  very  im])ortiint  aid  which  the  ftoeiely  has  again  received 
from  its  President,  for  the  prosevjution  of  its  benevolent  and 
j)ious  purposes,  will   appear  in  the  annexed   statement.     Ex- 
cited by  the  numerous  exigencL's  dinelosed,  and  encouraged  by 
the  successful  elVurts  recorded,  in  our  jouriuils,  the  humaue  and 
the  pi(»us,  it  is  lutjied  and  bolicvcd,  will  continue  to  co-operate 
with  the  Society   in  uiuing  that  cause,  which  the  benevolent 
Saviouu  so  ni'.ieb  rc^aru'jil :     Tim  poor  hai'E  tiiE  gospel 
riii.AC}n:ii  r.vro  7'in:M. 


•'  5 


4S 

STATEMENT  OF  FUNDS— May,  1814. 

V.  8.  six  per  cent  Stock,  per  faee  of  Certificate 
^7500.    Value,  1st  April,  1814,  at  par,  is  g2288  02 

Union  Bank  Stocky  cost  S6300,  and  advance  413,    6713 

Massachusetts  Bank  Shares,  cost  (23)  cost,  with 
advance,  -  -  -  -  12822 

Massachusetts  State  ^ote,  fticc  of  Certificate,  840 


Bonds  and  Mortga'^es, 


1200 


£23663  62 


Cash  on  hand,  2887  70. 


^Cj'  6f  the  above  capital,  £3861  66  is  considered  as  the 
donation  of  John  Mford,  Esq.  and  the  income  thereof  appro- 
priated exclusively  for  the  benefit  of  the  Indians. 

|C7*  gSOO  was  presented  to  the  Society  in  June  last,  by 
His  Honor  William  Phillips,  Esq.  to  be  expended  during  the 
current  year. 

^CP  The  Collection  at  the  Church  in  Chauncy-Place,  on 
the  3d  November,  1814,  was  SlSO  40. 


MISSIONARIES    FOR    A.    D.    1814. 


J^amea.  Places  of  abode, 

Rev.  Daniel  Lovcjoy     Fairfux 
Mr.  Robert  Cochraa 
Bev.  Asa  Piper 
— —  Josiah  Peet 
— —  Curtis  Coe 


Location.  JWotttht. 

Vassalborough  and  vicinity      2 
Cainden  Appleton  and  vicinity  3 

Wakefield,  (N,  H.)  Alfred  and  vicinity  4 

Norridgcwock         Vicinity  of  Norridgewock         B 
Durham,  (N.  H  )      Dartmouth  and  vicinity  9' 


To  Rev.  Peter  Nurse  of  Ellsworth,  a  grant  of  glOO 

To               do.               for  Schools             -  -         100 

To  Rev.  Silas  Warren,  of  Jackson,               •  •        100 

To  Rev.  Benjamin  Chadwick,                •           -  -         25 

To  Church  and  Society  in  Provincetown,  -           100 

Appropriated  to  purchase  Books,  -           50 

ON    ALFORD    FUND.       [_FOR    JNDIANS.^ 
Rev.  John  Sergeant,  of  N,  S^.ockbridge,  -  220 

do.  for  Schools,  -  -  50 

Itfr. Silas  Shores,  Indian  School  at  Charkstawn  (K.  I.)    150' 

•  The  tme  jTflTjl  last  ijear,  errmeouslii  prii.t.'d  §100. 


_„,mt'::^*.r&:.mi' 


-j-*-'v*,„.    -.^rfi'-  ..«i^..*/S 


43 

OFFICERS,  KLECTED  MAY,  181*. 

His  Honor  William  Phillips,  Esq.  I't'esident. 

Rev.  John  Lathrop,  D.  D.  Vice-President. 

Rev.  Abibl  Holmes,  D.  D.  Secretary. 

Rev.  William  E.  CHANMNn,  .issistant- Secretary. 

Mr.  Samuel  H.  Walley,  Treasurer, 

Mr.  JosiAH  Salisbury,  Vice-Treasurer. 

SELECT  COMMITTEE. 

Samuel  Salisbury,  Esq. 
Rev.  Jedidiah  Morse,  D.  D. 
Mr.  James  White, 
Rev.  Eliphalet  Porter,  D.  D. 
Alden  Bradford,  Esq. 
with  the  President,  Secretary,  and  Treasurer. 


MEMBERS  ELECTED, 

SINCE    THE    LAST    PUBLICATION. 

Rev.  John  Foster 

Caleb  Gannett,  Esq. 

Rev.  Samuel  Gile 

Levi  Hedge,  Esq.  Prof.  Log.  Mat.  et  Eth. 

Rev.  Joshua  Huntington 

Rev.  Charles  Lowell 

Rev.  Joseph  M'Kean,  LL.  D.  Prof.  Rhet.  et  Orat. 

Mr.  Elisha  Ticknor 

Mr.  Edward  Tuckerman,  jun. 


m 


MEMBERS  DECEASED, 

SINCE    NOV.    1813. 

Rev.  Thomas  Barnard,  D.  D. 
Rev.  Thomas  Prentiss,  D.  D. 


44 

rouM  or  A   nf.qur.sT,  on  Li:n.\f. y. 

Item  :  Ic^ivc  audhcqupoih  the  sinn  nf  Id  the 

Society  for  prnjHisintlng;  ilic  Gorpcl  rniwv^  Hip  Indians  and 
oii'iers  in  J\"urtli  Jlmrrica  ;  1i»  l)e  apjjlicd  t'ilh(.'r  to  llu-  ce'iicriil 
(>!ij.'ct»  of  flic  Insiitutujii,  or  (o  siieh  |KvrtiiMiliir  purposes,  cou- 
fiistt'nt  with  those  objicts,  us  the  dojior  imy  think  piopor. 


-r\ 


""'«» 

.*.^ 


■  \ 

« 


'r:M 


iii 


«i 


•y*^ 


1 


^  -.m^  >T.  i*^.;;ijiini|,i,;... 


^^%-'  ■  - 


^,  ■■ 


K^^ 


'  fh..t 


V 


^ 


,  t. 


j| 


"*'r  >{' 


%k 


■t  ', .' 


:.'ti 


-•^r 


-i 


H 


-'■■■j-yi'.    "i 


f!.V 


.:«.   ■>; 


/  .A 


Tv 


\    J 


'fl 


*■ 


^rir 


•  # 


"f  ■•,-« 


.^^ 


»^    '» 


^1 


^*i  -^: 


